Five loaves and two fish.
Just enough to feed one
hungry child. But Jesus
asked for it and the little
boy gave it gladly.
Suddenly he was part of a
miracle as thousands
marveled at the way the
Master multiplied his gift
to feed them all.
God is still multiplying gifts
today. This Sabbath, when
the Sabbath School offering
is taken, give God
something to work with.
When your offering is given
gladly, you too can
become part of a miracle!
Open Wall
Let God's love show through your giving.
HEADOUARTIERSi
6840 EASTERN AVENUE. N.W..
INDIA REGISTERED OFFICE:
SERVICES ASSOCIATION OF SDA
t51 SECOND AVENUE. ANNANAGAR
MADRAS 600040. iNDIA
General. Conference of
Sevenith-ckuj Advernis
,
*
Southern Asia Division
ADVISORy COUNCIL: SALISBURY PARE.
posT sox
10, pOONA 411001. INDIA
TELEGRAMS: . ADVENTIST. . POONA . TELEPHONE: 27220 • 27205. . 27249
2nd Quarter, 1977
Dear Fellow Sabbath School Members,
Once again the attention of the world church is focused on Southern Asia. The
world missions report this quarter, will thrill your heart as you listen to
the progress of the church in the various countries of the Southern Asia
Division. Three projects will be blessed as a result of your generous Thirteen-
th Sabbath Offering.
1.
The Ranchi Seventh-day Adventist Hospital was established a little over
twenty-five years ago. Although situated in an industrial area, the hospital's
major service is to rural patients. New additions this year will increase the
bed
capacity from fifty-six to ninety. At present the Division has only one
full-fledged school of nursing. With the growth of the church the constituency
feels the need for additional nurses training facilities. We, therefore, re-
quest you to help us establish a nurses training program at Ranchi.
2.
Political barriers make it impossible for the Oriental Watchman Publish-
ing Houe in Poona, India to supply the literature needs of the church in
Pakistan. The church there is literally starving for the printed page. The
Qasid Publishing House, Lahore has been established by Pakistan Union. Your
gifts this thirteenth Sabbath will make it possible for them to begin this
important function of the church in Pakistan.
3.
We present to you once again the need for further developing our only
senior college in Southern Asia. The growing desire for further education and
the increasingly difficult hurdles placed in the way of our young people in
securing a higher education in government universities, makes it imperative
for Spicer Memorial College to seek an autonomous status which will enable
us to grant recognized degrees to graduates. Our greatest need is the develop-
ment of the college library and science facilities.
We have been recipients of your faithful stewardship in the past. You have
helped us solve many of our growing pains and once again we want to thank you
for those gifts and for what your assistance will help us accomplish in the
future.
Secretary
BANGLADESH:
BURMA:
PAKISTAN:
.1 LANE,
POST BOX MO
POST •OX 277
POST BOX 32
POST •OR 1253
DACCA 2
RANGOON
LAHORE
COLOMBO
1--ASSL2-77
TO
AID
in the study
of this, quar-
ter's all-impor-
tant subject
T
a book
of lesson helps has
been prepared by Her-
bert Douglass and Leo Van
Dolson, entitled
Jesus-Bench-
mark of Humanity.
Following the sequence of the les-
sons themselves, this book will direct the reader's attention to the wit-
ness of both the Bible and Mrs. White's writings that Jesus was not only
God but also man—fully man, though He never sinned. Jesus was truly
man's Model, and it is only through constant and prayerful study of His
life on Earth that we can pattern our lives after His own.
Order your copy of
Jesus—Benchmark of Humanity
today and make
the study of the life of Christ more vivid and meaningful.
Only $2.95 at your Adventist Book Center, or order by mail from
ABC Mailing Service, Box 31776, Omaha, NE 68131. Add 30g to cover
shipping cost for the first book; 250 for each additional book. Add sales
tax where applicable.
PRODUCED FOR THE CHURCH BY
r •
e
ll
%
DAYBREAK "11 SERIES
Adult Sabbath School Lessons/No. 328, April-June, 1977
Contnt
1.
God With Us
2.
God With Us
3.
Model Child and Youth
4.
Model Overcomer
5.
Model Man of Prayer
6.
Model Witness
7.
Model of Integrity
8.
Model Teacher
9.
Model of Sociableness
10.
Model of Faith
11.
Model of Humility
12.
Model of Love
13.
The Model Waiting to Be Reproduced
The Adult Sabbath School Lessons are prepared by the Sabbath School Department
of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. The preparation of the lessons
is directed by a worldwide Sabbath School Lesson Committee, the members of which
serve as consulting editors.
Editorial Office: 6840 Eastern Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20012
Lesson Author: Herbert E. Douglass
Editor: W. Richard Lesher
Editorial Secretary: Florence L. Wetmore
Circulation Manager: Arthur R. Mazat
Art and Design: Concerned Communications
Scripture references other than from the King James Version quoted by permission in this quarterly are as
follows:
Phillips. From The New Testament in Modern English,
revised edition, copyright© 1958, 1959, 1960, 1972, by J.
B. Phillips. Used by permission of The Macmillan Company and Collins Publishers.
RSV. From the
Revised Standard Version Bible,
copyright © 1946 (renewed © 1973), 1952 and 1971, by the
Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and used by
permission.
Braille lessons available. See page 112.
Adult Sabbath School Lessons (standard edition). Single copy, 40 cents; four issues (1 year),
$1.60; no additional charge to countries requiring extra postage. Published in the U.S.A., by
Pacific Press Publishing Association (a corporation of SDA), 1350 Villa Street, Mountain View,
California 94042. Second-class mail privileges authorized at Mountain View, California. Form
3579 requested. When a change of address is desired, please be sure to send both old and new
addresses.
Copyright 1977 by Pacific Press Publishing Association
vv.You Ever
Living
e Meal
Week?
It's possible to survive on one meal a
week. For a few weeks. But within a
short time you'll discover you are suf-
fering a loss of physical strength.
Likewise, your spiritual strength de-
pends on a regular consistent diet of
spiritual food.
A Sabbath morn-
ing sermon and a
Sabbath School
class discussion
once a week are not
enough to provide
the strength needed
for a life of spiritual
victory.
Daily Bible study is not an option tc
spiritual life; it is basic—not dessert but
the main course. Regular Sabbath
School lesson study is also essential
spiritual food; it is your opportunity to
follow an organized program, covering
the broad scope of
Biblical truth.
Why not decide
that your spiritual
diet deserves at
least the attention
you give the physi-
cal. God's table is
the place to feast.
Feast
An invitation to dine at God's table
JESUS, THE MODEL MAN
Introduction
This quarter's lessons will focus on Jesus, God become man. As the "Word" of
God, Jesus was concerned about making the mind and heart of God clear to man; as
the "Son of man," His chief goal was to convince the universe that the happiest,
safest, and healthiest way to live is God's way. Any theological subject worth consid-
ering should be some aspect of what Jesus made clear regarding God in His relation
to sin and the sinner.
Over the centuries great biblical themes have become isolated from their connec-
tion with Jesus. The major reason for this misunderstanding is that Christian thinkers
became confused about Jesus. The misunderstanding by Christian thinkers of Jesus'
identity, origin, mission, and intercession seems automatically to warp and distort
their view of every other biblical topic.
This quarter we shall study Jesus as man's model in every respect. There is nothing
that God asks of men and women for which He has not already provided a living
demonstration in Jesus Christ. "We are to look to the man Christ Jesus, who is
complete in the perfection of righteousness and holiness. He is the author and
finisher of our faith. He is the pattern man. His experience is the measure of the
experience that we are to gain. His character is our model. Let us, then, take our
minds off the perplexities and the difficulties of this life, and fix them on Him, that by
beholding we may be changed into His likeness. We may behold Christ to good
purpose. We may safely look to Him; for He is all-wise. As we look to Him and think of
Him, He will be formed within, the hope of glory."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA
Bible Commentary, vol.
7, p. 970.
We should understand the great issues at stake in the universe, the original
purpose of God in creating this world, how the great controversy arose, and why sin
was permitted. The plan of redemption, God's part and man's part, should be clear in
our minds. We must see the very personal aspect of sin, that it is more than ignorance
or poor performance; that it is essentially the rebellious thought and act that asserts
self over against the love and holiness of God. Uppermost in our minds must be the
central role that Jesus has played in resolving the great controversy.
Jesus, the Carpenter of Nazareth, came to this earth accepting "the results of the
working of the great law of heredity." He was "subject to the weakness of humanity."
He had "to fight the battle as every child of humanity must fight it, at the risk of failure
and eternal loss."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 49. He came "as one of us . .. to give an
example of obedience. . . . He endured every trial to which we are subject. And He
exercised in His own behalf no power that is not freely offered to us. . . . His life
testifies that it is possible for us also to obey the law of God."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 24.
His life of obedience was also a life of dignity, joy, integrity, and winsomeness. Men,
women, and children from all ranks of life were happy in His presence—unless they
were uncomfortable with His unselfish purity. He was the example of what His
followers should become. "Through the Spirit the believer becomes a partaker of the
divine nature. Christ has given His Spirit as a divine power to overcome all hereditary
and cultivated tendencies to evil, and to impress His own character upon His church.
" ... The Saviour came to glorify the Father by the demonstration of His love; so the
Spirit was to glorify Christ by revealing His grace to the world. The very image of God
is to be reproduced in humanity."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 671.
Let us open our minds and hearts this quarter, imploring the Spirit to help us
become more like our Lord, the model for man.
LESSON 1 March 27 - April 2
God With Us
"They shall call his name Emmanuel,
which being interpreted is, God with
us" (Matt. 1:23).
God is at the center of
everything—that is the supreme fact.
Life's meaning is either clarified by
that conviction or obscured by its
denial. The first question to ask about
God is not what man thinks about
God, but what God thinks about man.
It is what God thinks, does, and
reveals that gives meaning and
purpose to life. Without that
In the Word of God today we can
meet the Man who walked the dusty
paths of Palestine—the Man who
was truly God!
conviction what man thinks and does
can at best be only an echo of his
deepest wishes—no more.
A question of truth is always a
question about Jesus Christ—that is
why Jesus Christ is always a challenge
to men and women. No other person
in the history of mankind confronts us
with such a decision. It is in Jesus that
men and women come face-to-face
with God and His great invitation.
Through God alone can God be
known. No amount of historical
research, logic, or intuition can
discover God. Whatever is known
about God has been revealed by God.
The sharpest picture, the fullest
presentation, was Jesus of Nazareth,
God in the flesh.
Just who Jesus of Nazareth was and
where He is today must be clearly said
in our day. Our world has lost its
moorings. It is overwhelmed by future
shock that doesn't wait for men and
women to walk into it casually. Our
world thinks itself to be on the brink of
nuclear disaster or mass starvation.
The world needs many clear voices
declaring Jesus and His salvation. That
message will bring direction and hope
to many in this world who have not yet
committed themselves to self-
indulgence.
Jesus did not begin life as a man and
then acquire divinity in some grand
display of human achievement. He did
not become a great moral leader
whom God recognized could be used
to educate the human race in regard to
human potential. Jesus was the eternal
God who took upon Himself human
form. The movement was from heaven
to earth, not from earth to heaven. In
that distinction is the salvation of
mankind.
No man or woman thought up the
idea of the incarnation; truly, it is
unthinkable. In fact, that is one of the
problems men and women have had
with Jesus. He doesn't meet man on
man's terms but on God's. He exposes
men and women as God-haters whose
bent to life cuts across the grain of
God's will. He cuts people's pride in
order to heal their souls—if men and
women let Him.
The Christian church can do no
greater work than to make the person
and work of Jesus Christ clearly known
to all men. All else is secondary in
importance. Lifting up Christ brings all
other blessings in its train. But the
church must do more than examine
teachings about Jesus. Believers must
make Him Lord. Not only must they
declare Him for what He is; they must
also reveal the power of His name.
Merely to proclaim His deity and
repeat His words would be the death
of the church. How would the
unbeliever be convinced that the
Christian's Lord is indeed Redeemer,
if Christians did not become exhibits
of love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, and self-control (Gal.
5:22, 23, RSV) as their Master was?
"God with us." What a comfort! But
what a challenge! This week, let Him
be "with" you as you open your mind
and heart to His special words to. you.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
Jesus, God in Every Respect
(John 1:1, 14)
2.
Jesus, the Word of God
(John 1:14, 18)
3.
Jesus, the Creator
(John 1:3)
4.
Jesus, Life and Light
(John 1:4)
5.
Jesus, the Sustainer of Life
(Col. 1:16, 17)
6.
Jesus, the Glory of God
(John 1:14, last part)
Part 1
JESUS, GOD IN
EVERY RESPECT
THINK IT THROUGH
LESSON 1
Sunday
March 27
How far back in time does Jesus, the Word, go?
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,
and the Word was God."
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us" (John
1:1, 14).
John clearly states that, before Creation, Jesus was already
there. In fact, before anything that had a beginning began,
Jesus already "was." Genesis 1:1 refers to the beginning of this
planet, and John declares that Jesus was already there as the
Creator. (See John 1:3.) In other words, the second member of
the Godhead, the Word of God, always "was." He, as God, never
"became." There was no time when the Word was not! He was
not created; He was God, this One whom we on earth have
known for the last 2000 years as Jesus.
Yet, in a special sense, a member of the Godhead "became"
Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus always was God in the fullest sense. He
"became" man. He was called "Jesus" when He "became"
man, an event often referred to as the incarnation.
John here grapples with almost impossible thoughts—the
eternal God became flesh, cabined within His own creation,
subject to time and space that He Himself had made! Wonder, 0
heavens! Be astonished, 0 earth!
Although the Word was and is everlasting, without beginning
or end, He is not a solitary God. The Word was
with God
before
the beginning of all things. The Godhead is a fellowship of three
Persons, unified in purpose and spirit. (See Matt. 28:19.)
"If Christ made all things, He existed before all things. The
words spoken in regard to this are so decisive that no one need
be left in doubt. Christ was God essentially, and in the highest
sense. He was with God from all eternity, God over all, blessed
forevermore."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Com-
mentary,
vol. 5, p. 1126.
What difficulties would you see in the biblical plan of salva-
tion if Jesus of Nazareth were not God in every respect?
God With Us
"Only by love is love awakened. To know God is to love Him;
His character must be manifested in contrast to the character of
Satan. This work only one Being in all the universe could do.
Only He who knew the height and depth of the love of God could
make it known."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 22.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 19-26.
10
God With Us
LESSON 1
Monday
March 28
Part 2
JESUS, THE
WORD OF GOD
THINK IT THROUGH
Why did John call Jesus, the Word?
"The Word was made flesh."
"No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son,
which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him"
(John 1:14, 18).
Just as speech conveys thought and words give exactness to
communication, so Jesus, as the Word of God, declared what
God is like. As man and for man, Jesus was God's thought and
character made visible and audible.
Simply put, Jesus came to show us what God is like. The
unseen God did not choose to reveal Himself in the voice of
thunder. Neither did He choose to write His message in
heavenly penmanship across the blue sky; He knew that
dreams, visions, and even angels were not adequate. No matter
how much attention He received during Old Testament times
through such methods, He was still limited by intermediaries
and partial revelations. A person can be truly known to human
beings only in a physical self-revelation. Through God alone
could God be known. God became man so that man could have
a fair chance to know Him.
Almost everyone has been introduced to new friends through
intermediaries. Such go-betweens describe the person's physi-
cal features, hobbies, interests, disposition, dislikes, etc. If the
intermediary were a son, a daughter, a spouse, or a parent, the
description would be more accurate. But rarely does this mental
picture correspond with the information gained through a per-
sonal meeting. The self-revelation in a personal appearance is
the only fair way for a person to make himself known.
Only the personal appearance of God Himself could eliminate
questions and fill in the blank spots in man's mind regarding His
Creator. As the "Word" of God declaring the truth about God,
what Jesus
did
was as revealing as what He
said.
Why is it that nature, or even a prophet's transmission of
divine messages, could not adequately convey what God is
like?
"God saw that a clearer revelation than nature was needed to
portray both His personality and His character. He sent His Son
into the world to manifest, so far as could be endured by human
sight, the nature and the attributes of the invisible God."—The
Ministry of Healing,
p. 419.
FURTHER STUDY
The Ministry of Healing,
pp. 418-426.
2-ASSL 2-77
11
God With Us
LESSON 1
Tuesday
March 29
Part 3
What awesome, incomparable capability did John ascribe
JESUS, to Jesus?
THE CREATOR
"All things were made by him; and without him was not
anything made that was made" (John 1:3).
Jesus is the Creator of the universe. He was before all things
and was indebted to no one for His own existence. Further, He
was the creative Power that organized this marvelous universe
in thought and spoke it into existence by command.
"By the word of the Lord the heavens were made,
and all their host by the breath of his mouth."
"For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood forth."
Ps. 33:6, 9, RSV.
What do we learn about Jesus when we look at His crea-
tion? Rom. 1:20.
We learn much about people by the things they do. Charac-
teristics of the designer, maker, or creator are expressed by his
or her handiwork. So with Jesus and His handiwork.
Though marred by the deterioration caused by sin, the world
still reflects an awesome order, an enthralling beauty, a remark-
able interdependency. Only a Creator who is orderly, not ca-
pricious; artistic, not offensive; loving, not self-seeking, could
have made a world such as our own. Whenever we see, hear, or
feel harmony, order, beauty, goodness, and purpose, we can
safely say, "Jesus is like that, and more."
THINK IT THROUGH
We are counseled to "be imitators of God" (Eph. 5:1, RSV).
How can I better reflect harmony, order, predictability, beauty,
goodness, and sense of purpose in my life?
"Like our Saviour, we are in this world to do service for God.
We are here to become like God in character, and by a life of
service to reveal Him to the world. In order to be co-workers with
God, in order to become like Him and to reveal His character, we
must know Him aright. We must know Him as He reveals
Himself."—The
Ministry of Healing,
p. 409.
More often than not we think of God's creation in terms of
stars, planets, trees, flowers, animals, etc. But men and women
are also God's handiwork, His highest form of earthly creation.
Therefore, we can learn much about God by studying man
together with the Bible; thus we perceive characteristics about
God that we could never discover by analyzing a tree or a bird.
FURTHER STUDY
The Ministry of Healing,
pp. 409-415.
12
God With Us
LESSON 1
Wednesday
March 30
Part 4
JESUS, LIFE
AND LIGHT
What connection exists between our Lord's eternal nature
and our dependent, helpless nature?
"In him was life; and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4).
Life is completely dependent upon light. Without light there
could not have been life on this planet, or anywhere else in the
universe, as far as we know. The first day of Creation Week
brought light to this earth, making possible the creation of plant
and animal life (Gen. 1:3-5).
Light is a visible form of energy as any lover of houseplants
soon discovers; no farmer or orchardist could grow his grain or
trees without ample light. Light converts inorganic elements
and compounds into food which is necessary for life as we know
it.
Light is
powerful.
Think of the laser beam that can hit at a
precise spot on the moon and return in two and one half sec-
onds, or make clean cuts through hard materials in fractions of
a second.
Jesus said of Himself, "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12).
He did not choose this symbolism without design. Whatever
power and life-sustaining characteristics we discover about
physical light are merely a fingertip understanding of our
Creator who is eternal energy, eternal light, eternal life.
Wherever Jesus is, whether present through His personal
representative, the Holy Spirit, or through His Written Word,
there is life and power. Spiritual darkness, that strange element
in the universe that either obscures or falsifies truth, always
leads to confusion and death.
Does every person have an opportunity to see through the
moral darkness of sin and the mental darkness of spiritual
ignorance? John 1:9.
"As through Christ every human being has life, so also
through Him every soul receives some ray of divine light. Not
only intellectual but spiritual power, a perception of right, a
desire for goodness, exists in every
heart."—Education,
p. 29.
THINK IT THROUGH
Does my life-style give evidence that I have been exposed
to great light?
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 463-465.
13
God With Us
LESSON 1
Thursday
March 31
Part 5
How did Paul describe the continuing creative power of
JESUS, THE Jesus?
SUSTAINER
OF LIFE
"All things were created through him and for him. He is
before all things, and in him all things hold together" (Col.
1:16, 17).
Paul adds his witness to John's—Jesus of Nazareth is not only
the Creator of the universe but also its continuing Sustainer.
The words "hold together" emphasize the continuing mainte-
nance of our Lord's creative power as He keeps both the amaz-
ing particles within the atom and the awesome stellar bodies in
their pinpoint precision orbits.
THINK IT THROUGH
What does the continuing, sustaining power of the Creator
mean to me?
God is not an absentee landlord. He is very involved in every-
day events. We don't have to wonder if the sun will appear
tomorrow, if the birds will return in the spring, if water will boil at
100° Celsius, if the laws of aerodynamics will operate today as
they did yesterday. There is no end to the list of remarkable
events in the world about us that must function precisely as we
have observed them in the past if life on this planet is to be
sustained. This universe is so reliable that we take it for granted.
But without the holding power of our Lord, it could all blow up in
a spectacular explosion.
Furthermore, even the results of sin are predictable. Satan
and his followers cannot escape the consequences of their
cruel and selfish choices. Whether obeying or violating the laws
of the universe, the results are predictable. "Do not be de-
ceived; God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that he will
also reap" (Gal. 6:7, RSV).
There is something profoundly comforting about the fact that
a Father's heart is at the center of the universe, that a loving
Saviour sustains its operation. Nothing can catch Them by
surprise. Nothing is too hard for Them. They can order for each
of us that which seems best for our present welfare and for the
world to come.
"The hand that sustains the worlds in space, the hand that
holds in their orderly arrangement and tireless activity all things
throughout the universe of God, is the hand that was nailed to
the cross for
us."—Education,
p. 132.
FURTHER STUDY
The Ministry of Healing,
pp. 416, 417.
14
God With Us
LESSON 1
Friday
April 1
Part 6
JESUS, THE
GLORY OF GOD
"We have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the
Father" (John 1:14, RSV).
The glory of God is His character, the outward manifestation
of His inward attributes. One of the chief reasons for God to
incarnate Himself as Jesus was to reveal to this sin-darkened
world what God is like. He came to make God known, to reveal
His glory to earthbound men and women.
When we look at Jesus, studying His words, observing His
actions, we are getting a picture of the glory of God. Although
there are many wonderful aspects of our Lord's character,
perhaps the all-inclusive description is "that the glory shining in
the face of Jesus is the glory of self-sacrificing love."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 20.
Although the humanity of Jesus of Nazareth veiled the un-
speakable glory of God, yet He revealed what God thinks and
how He feels about men and women on planet Earth. Whenever
we are in doubt about what God thinks of us, we should recall
how Jesus dealt with men and women in His day. Just as the
starry heavens reveal the glory of God's power and order (Ps.
19:1) so Jesus reveals the glory of God's paternal love, sym-
pathy, and grace, especially toward sinners.
THINK IT THROUGH
As a child of God, do I reveal the glory, the characteristics,
of my heavenly Father?
The light in the parable of the ten bridesmaids (Matthew 25)
symbolized the glory of God's character revealed through His
people. This will make possible the last demonstration of truth
before probation closes. "By implanting in their hearts the prin-
ciples of His word, the Holy Spirit develops in men the attributes
of God. The light of His glory—His character—is to shine forth in
His followers."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
p. 414.
The gospel that stirred the world 2000 years ago was "the
knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ"
(2 Cor. 4:6). It produced men and women who "in mind and
character ... had become like their Master."—Education, p. 95.
Just such a demonstration will be seen the world over before
Jesus returns. It will be seen through men and women who are
described as those who "keep the commandments of God, and
the faith of Jesus" (Rev. 14:12).
FURTHER STUDY
Education,
pp. 73, 74.
15
LESSON 2 April 3 - 9
"And they shall call his name
Emmanuel, which being interpreted
is, God with us" (Matt. 1:23).
Last week we emphasized that
God
had become man. Our focus was on
our Lord's divine nature—that Jesus
was truly God. This week our focus is
on our Lord's human nature—that He
was truly man.
Paul sets forth our Lord's two
natures in that awesome second
chapter of his Philippian letter: "Let
J
our attitude to life be that of Christ
esus himself. For he, who had always
been God by nature, did not cling to
his privileges as God's equal, but
stripped himself of every advantage by
consenting to be a slave by nature and
being born a man. And, plainly seen as
a human being, he humbled himself
by living a life of utter obedience, to
the point of death, and the death he
died was the death of a common
criminal" (Phil. 2:5-8, Phillips).
Why? The answer to that question
uncovers the great issues in the
cosmic controversy between God and
Satan. He came to prove Satan
wrong—God was not asking too much
of men and women, when He asked
for their obedience; He proved also
that God does not ask more
from
men
and women than He will do
for
them.
"Christ in the weakness of humanity
was to meet the temptations of one
possessing theciowers of the higher
nature that God had bestowed on the
angelic family. But Christ's humanity
was united with divinity, and in this
strength He would bear all the
temptations that Satan could bring
against Him, and yet keep His soul
untainted by sin. And this power to
overcome He would give to every son
and daughter of Adam who would
accept by faith the righteous attributes
of His character.
"God loved the world so dearly that
He gave His only-begotten Son that
whosoever would accept him might
have power to live his righteous life.
Christ proved that it is possible for
man to lay hold by faith on the power
of God."—Selected
Messages, bk.
1,
p. 223.
Without Jesus, no New Testament
could have been written, no great
promises to sin-weary men and
women would cheer them to
victory—promises such as these:
"Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he
shall save his people from their sins"
(Matt. 1:21); "Now unto him that is
able to keep you from falling" (Jude
24); "But now being made free from
sin, and become servants to God, ye
have your fruit unto holiness, and the
end everlasting life" (Rom. 6:22).
The great mystery of the incarnation
is that the eternal God became
man's contemporary—the carpenter
of Galilee!
God became man! His earthly
contemporaries knew Him as a man
who was totally involved in their
common humanity, not as a "reverse
astronaut" who came to this world
from "out of the blue" merelyto tell us
that God was alive and well, that He
was Creator and Judge, and that He
loved us very much.
We can send men to the moon, but
they are still "earthmen"; they live
within space suits that keep them
untouched by the real conditions
existing where they land. They live and
eat, perform normal acts common to
created beings, but yet they are
insulated and exempt from much of
the moon environment.
Jesus was no "astronaut." As an
early follower described Him, He "was
made flesh, and dwelt among us"
(John 1:14).
Because He became truly man, we
have a High Priest who is able "to
sympathize with our weaknesses....
Let us then with confidence draw near
to the throne of grace, that we may
receive mercy andfind grace to help in
time of need" (Heb. 4:15, 16, RSV).
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
The Word Became Flesh
(John 1:14)
2.
Partook of the Same Nature
(Heb. 2:14-17)
3.
Tempted as We Are
(Heb. 4:15)
4.
Example of Obedience
(Heb. 5:7, 8)
5.
Complete Dependency on
Heavenly Father
(John 5:19, 30)
6.
The Controversy Settled
(Heb. 6:19, 20)
3
God With Us
LESSON 2
Sunday
April 3
Part 1
THE WORD
BECAME FLESH
THINK IT THROUGH
What is John's description of the magnificent open mystery
of the incarnation?
"The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us" (John 1:14).
Jesus, the eternal Word, became man. This thought staggers
anyone who even dimly understands what it means. Why should
God do that? What kind of man did He become? Did He only
appear to be a man? Did He have power over sin that is not
available to all other men as they contend with sin? What differ-
ence has His coming meant to the human race?
To some extent these questions will be answered in this
week's lesson as well as in the lessons to follow. To understand
these questions is the greatest subject to which a person can
devote his mind. "The humanity of the Son of God is everything
to us. . . . This is to be our study. Christ was a real man."—
Selected Messages,
bk. 1, p. 244.
What is Paul's description of the humanity of Jesus? Rom.
1:3.
"Christ did not make believe take human nature; He did verily
take it. He did in reality possess human nature.... He was the
son of Mary; He was of the seed of David according to human
descent. He is declared to be a man, even the Man Christ
Jesus."—Selected
Messages,
bk. 1, p. 247.
What difference would it have made to me if Jesus had not
become man, fully and truly? Do you think that it would have
altered the idea that God is mankind's friend and comforter?
God did not come halfway to earth in His attempt to redeem
men and women; He did not come as a sympathetic angel, or
even as a superman, impregnable to all of humanity's troubles
and weaknesses. The ladder from heaven to earth reached all
the way down to where sinners are. "If that ladder had failed by a
single step of reaching the earth, we should have been lost. But
Christ reaches us where we are. He took our nature and over-
came, that we through taking His nature might overcome."—
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 311, 312.
Since Jesus came to dwell with us, we know that God is
acquainted with our trials, and sympathizes with our griefs.
Every son and daughter of Adam may understand that our
Creator is the friend of sinners.
FURTHER STUDY
Selected Messages,
bk. 1, pp. 246-251.
18
God With Us
LESSON 2
Monday
April 4
Part 2
How much like man did Paul say Jesus became?
PARTOOK OF
THE SAME
"Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he
NATURE himself likewise partook of the same nature.... For surely It is
not with angels that he is concerned but with the descendants
of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his brethren in
every respect" (Heb. 2:14-17, RSV).
Jesus entered the human family, taking the same nature as all
other "descendants of Abraham."
"Jesus accepted humanity when the race had been weakened
by four thousand years of sin. Like every child of Adam He
accepted the results of the working of the great law of heredity.
What these results ware is shown in the history of His earthly
ancestors. He came with such a heredity to share our sorrows
and temptations, and to give us the example of a sinless
life."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 49.
In order to come close to sinful men and women, Jesus per-
mitted Himself to enter the human family. In order to be man's
example He lived a sinless life though beset by the same tempta-
tions other human beings face. "If we have in any sense a more
trying conflict than had Christ, then He would not be able to
succor us. But our Saviour took humanity, with all its
liabilities."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 117.
THINK IT THROUGH
Do I make excuses for my sins, mistakes, or shortcomings
by appealing to my heredity or the unfavorable conditions that
I grew up with? In what danger do I place myself if I relax,
believing that no one could keep the commandments except
Jesus, the Son of God?
"If Christ had a special power which it is not the privilege of
man to have, Satan would have made capital of this matter. The
work of Christ was to take from the claims of Satan his control of
man, and He could do this only in the way that He came—a man,
tempted as a man, rendering the obedience of a man."—Ellen
G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary, vol.
7, p. 930.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
p. 117.
19
God With Us
LESSON 2
Tuesday
April 5
Part 3
What special qualification made Jesus a perfect and trusted
TEMPTED AS high priest on man's behalf?
WE ARE
THINK IT THROUGH
"For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize
with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been
tempted as we are, yet without sinning" (Heb. 4:15, RSV).
Jesus became a real man when He entered the human race
2000 years ago. He was given no divine insulation that would
exempt Him from temptation.
This is a crucial point: Biblical writers and Ellen White have
made it very clear that Jesus faced those temptations common
to man. He did not playact, only appearing to be tempted.
There has been confusion within the Christian church over
the centuries regarding the person and work of Jesus. Ellen
White forthrightly endorsed the idea of our Lord's full humanity.
In early 1890, when some church members were troubled by the
mind-stretching, heart-melting thought that Jesus really did live
victoriously in spite of temptation as a human being, Ellen White
wrote: "Letters have been coming in to me, affirming that Christ
could not have had the same nature as man, for if He had, He
would have fallen under similar temptations. If He did not have
man's nature, He could not be our example. If He was not a
partaker of our nature, He could not have been tempted as man
has been. If it were not possible for Him to yield to temptation,
He could not be our helper. It was a solemn reality that Christ
came to fight the battles as man, in man's behalf. His temptation
and victory tell us that humanity must copy the Pattern; man
must become a partaker of the divine
nature."—Selected Mes-
sages,
bk. 1, p. 408.
What kind of confidence would I have in Jesus If He com-
manded me to resist temptation without showing me first that
overcoming was possible?
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
p. 24.
20
God With Us
LESSON 2
Wednesday
April 6
Part 4
How real were our Lord's temptations? Did He, as man, have
EXAMPLE OF anything to learn?
OBEDIENCE
"In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and
supplications, with loud cries and tears.... Although he was a
Son, he learned obedience through what he suffered" (Heb.
5:7, 8, RSV).
Jesus developed His character through grace, resisting temp-
tation and obeying the law of God. A new breath of hope and
reality sweeps into a person's soul when he grasps for the first
time the realization that Jesus "knows by experience what are
the weaknesses of humanity."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 329. He
knows this because He "took upon himself fallen, suffering
human nature, degraded and defiled by sin."—Ellen G. White,
The Youth's Instructor,
Dec. 20, 1900.
When God asks men and women to obey Hini and to live
above sinning, He is not asking the impossible or merely tan-
talizing them. Jesus proved what a man or a woman can do.
Jesus not only gave mankind "an example of obedience"; He
also settled the question once and for all that "it is possible for
us also to obey the law of God."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 24.
THINK IT THROUGH
Must a person withdraw from normal human relationships
and generally accepted responsibilities in order to become
safe from temptation and more like Jesus?
The real Jesus was a real Man,
except He did not sin.
He was
hungry, weary, and pressed by friends and foes, as are all men
and women. He knew the routine of work. He knew the pressure
of business in order to provide for His mother. He knew what
slivers and bruised knuckles were.
He was no weakling. Both men and women were drawn to
Him. He enjoyed the fellowship of Martha and Mary as much as
He did that of Lazarus. Rough fishermen, calloused soldiers,
and grateful women were counted among His followers. He
could be firm as well as gentle.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 310-314.
21
God With Us
LESSON 2
Thursday
April 7
Part 5
How did Jesus describe His need as a human being for
COMPLETE constant strength and grace from God above?
DEPENDENCY
ON HEAVENLY
"The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the
FATHER Father do."
"I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my
judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will
of the Father which hath sent me" (John 5:19, 30).
When Jesus became flesh, He divested Himself of the powers
of deity and became absolutely dependent upon the Father and
the Holy Spirit. The Father promised to assist Jesus in every
human situation where grace was needed. What an awesome
thought! Truly Jesus was "a gift" whose value we dimly com-
prehend. (See John 3:16 and Phil. 2:6, 7.)
Although Jesus could have retained the same nature He had
possessed throughout eternity, He "became" dependent on
God as all other human beings are.
One of the reasons why God became man was to give men
and women a picture of what it means to be truly human. By His
life on earth He has shown us what the shadow of sin had
covered; He pulled back the curtain and showed us the way God
had meant for men and women to live. To be truly human is to be
completely dependent upon God for truth, and for the strength
to do the truth. Such a gloriously free yet dependent person was
our Lord Jesus Christ.
THINK IT THROUGH
Does the thought of complete and eternal subordination by
one Member of the Godhead to another Member cause an
unspeakable response of gratitude to well up in my heart?
What does this towering act of love suggest to me regarding
my relationship to God?
"The Son of God was surrendered to the Father's will, and
dependent upon His power. So utterly was Christ emptied of self
that He made no plans for Himself. He accepted God's plans for
Him, and day by day the Father unfolded His plans. So should
we depend upon God, that our lives may be the simple outwork-
ing of His will."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 208.
FURTHER STUDY
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,
"The Beatitudes"
(Matthew 5:5), pp. 14, 15.
22
God With Us
LESSON 2
Friday
April 8
Part 6
"We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a
THE
hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain,
CONTROVERSY where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having
SETTLED become a high priest for ever" (Heb. 6:19, 20, RSV).
In becoming mankind's High Priest, how did Jesus settle the
crucial questions in the great controversy between good and
evil? God became man in order to silence forever Satan's
charge that He has been unfair with rebels, whether they were
fallen angels or sinners on earth. "Christ came to the earth ... to
vindicate the character of God before the universe."—
Patriarchs and Prophets,
p. 68.
Several aspects of Satan's charge and lies were exposed by
the life of Jesus. "In the opening of the great controversy, Satan
had declared that the law of God could not be obeyed, that
justice was inconsistent with mercy, and that, should the law be
broken, it would be impossible for the sinner to be pardoned....
"By His life and His death, Christ proved that God's justice did
not destroy His mercy, but that sin could be forgiven, and that
the law is righteous, and can be perfectly obeyed."—The
Desire
of Ages,
pp. 761, 762.
If God had come to earth and only appeared to be a man, His
performance would not have answered Satan's charges; the
issue was not what God could do. The issue was whether man
could keep the law and resist sin. Jesus met Satan head on to
prove that men and women, beset with all the liabilities "of the
working of the great law of heredity"
(The Desire of Ages,
p. 49),
can keep the law of God through grace.
"Christ's humanity would demonstrate for eternal ages the
question which settled the controversy."—Selected
Messages,
bk. 1, pp. 255, 256.
THINK IT THROUGH
Am I permitting the grace of God to do for me what it once
did for Jesus of Nazareth?
"Christ's overcoming and obedience is that of a true human
being. In our conclusions, we make many mistakes because of
our erroneous views of the human nature of our Lord. When we
give to His human nature a power that it is not possible for man
to have in his conflicts with Satan, we destroy the completeness
of His humanity."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Com-
mentary, vol.
7, p. 929.
FURTHER STUDY
Patriarchs and Prophets,
pp. 68-70.
23
LESSON 3 April 10 - 16
oriel Child and
Youth
"My son, forget not my law; but let
thine heart keep my commandments;
for length of days, and long life, and
peace, shall they add to thee. Let not
mercy and truth forsake thee: bind
them about thy neck; write them upon
the table of thine heart: so shalt thou
find favour and good understanding in
the sight of God and man" (Prov.
3:1-4).
"The Father and the Son in
consultation decided that Christ must
come to the world as a babe, and live
the life that human beings must live
from childhood to manhood, bearing
the trials that they must bear, and at
the same time living a sinless life, that
men might see in Him an example of
what they can become, and that He
might know by experience how to
help them in their strugles with
sin."—Ellen G. White,
Signs of the
Times,
May 17, 1905.
Often we think of Jesus Christ as
mature and experienced. We picture
Him with a beard and with all the
marks of full manhood. Certainly He
was all this when He began His public
ministry at the age of 30.
But He did not suddenly become
mature. Nor was His ability to inspire
rugged fishermen and sophisticated
scholars a miraculous development.
Our Lord's three wonderful
years—three years of teaching and
healing as no man ever
ministered—were not the result of
Heaven's special favor beyond what
God was willing to do for others.
Rather they were the fruitage and
As a child, a student, and a young
man, Jesus demonstrated the im-
pact of a life of compassion and
commitment.
continuation of obedience and loyalty
to God's way of life as a child and a
teen-ager. His development through
those difficult years was not a token
attempt to identify with humanity—He
faced youth's problems, every one of
them, as young people of His day
faced them.
There is hope and courage for every
young person when he understands
this stark fact: Jesus faced the kind of
problems they face and yet showed
that the better way, the way to true
personality fulfillment, is in happy
obedience to the will of God.
Truly Jesus is a teen-ager's best
Friend. "He knows by experience
what are the weaknesses of humanity,
what are our wants, and where lies the
strength of our temptations; for He
was 'in all points tempted like as we
are, yet without sin.'
"—The Ministry
of Healing,
p. 71.
This understanding of Jesus as the
model youth should caution parents
and teachers who shrug their
shoulders at the carelessness and
impulsiveness of their teen-agers. Too
often parents and teachers enjoy the
false hope that after "fool's hill" there
will be time for a youth to straighten
his life out.
As long as there is life there is hope,
of course. But there is an enormous
difference between being a brand
plucked from the burning and a
maturing person who has allowed
God to groom him or her for a lifetime
of service that reflects His attributes.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
The Laws of Childhood
(Luke 2:40, 52)
2.
Increased in Wisdom
(Luke 2:52)
3.
Increased in Sense of Life Mission
(Luke 2:49, 50)
4.
Obedient Son
(Luke 2:51)
5.
Increased in Favor With Men
(Luke 2:52)
6.
Years of Preparation
(Matt. 3:17)
Model Child and Youth
LESSON 3
Sunday
April 10
Part 1
What indication do we have that Jesus developed accord-
THE LAWS OF Ing to the normal laws of growth and development?
CHILDHOOD
"And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom;
and the favor of God was upon him."
"And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favor
with God and man" (Luke 2:40, 52, RSV).
Because Jesus "was made flesh" (John 1:14) and was "made
like his brethren in every respect" (Heb. 2:17, RSV), He was
subject to the limitations and susceptibilities of a child and a
teen-ager. Even though we most often think of Jesus as a per-
fect Man, we must also remember that He developed from in-
fancy, "in keeping with the laws of childhood."—The
Desire of
Ages,
p. 68.
Did our Lord's sinless life exempt Him from the trials of a
growing boy?
God did not "rig" the "great controversy" by sheltering Jesus
from the temptations that would come to a growing boy or girl.
Although "no trace of sin marred the image of God within Him"
yet "He was subject to all the conflicts which we have to meet,
that He might be an example to us in childhood, youth, and
manhood."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 71.
"Christ was a child; he had the experience of a child; he felt
the disappointments and trials that children feel; he knew the
temptations of children and youth."—Ellen G. White,
Signs of
the Times,
June 23, 1881.
"Let children bear in mind that the child Jesus had taken
upon himself human nature, and was in the likeness of sinful
flesh, and was tempted of Satan as all children are
tempted."—Ellen G. White,
Youth's Instructor,
Aug. 23, 1894.
THINK IT THROUGH
Should any person say that his or her experience is unique
and therefore his or her failings should be excused?
In writing to a nephew in early manhood, Ellen White coun-
seled: "You have not a difficulty that did not press with equal
weight upon Him, not a sorrow that His heart has not experi-
enced. .. .
"... Jesus once stood in age just where you now stand. Your
circumstances, your cogitations at this period of your life, Jesus
has had. He cannot overlook you at this critical period. He sees
your dangers. He is acquainted with your temptations. He in-
vites you to follow His example."—Ellen White, letter dated
March 14, 1878; quoted in
Review and Herald,
May 8, 1975.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of
Ages, pp. 68-74.
26
Model Child and Youth
LESSON 3
Monday
April 11
Part 2
INCREASED
IN WISDOM
"Jesus increased in wisdom" (Luke 2:52).
How do we know that Jesus was not supernaturally en-
dowed with wisdom, insight, and all knowledge?
Wisdom is more than knowledge; wisdom is mental excel-
lence in its highest form whereby knowledge is properly under-
stood and applied. Before He became man, Jesus was omni-
scient (that is, all-knowing); when He became man He "did not
cling to his privileges as God's equal, but stripped himself of
every advantage" (Phil. 2:6, 7, Phillips).
The wonderful manifestation of wisdom reflected in the
words and acts of Jesus was the result of utilizing the
capabilities available to all children. Very sobering is the
thought that "every child may gain knowlege as Jesus did."—
The Desire of Ages,
p. 70.
How did He do it? What were His habits? Mary and Joseph
were His first teachers, and they followed the Lord's direction
"that even from babyhood the children should be taught of His
goodness and His greatness, especially as revealed in His law,
and shown in the history of Israel. Song and prayer and lessons
from the Scriptures were to be adapted to the opening mind.
Fathers and mothers were to instruct their children that the law
of God is an expression of His character, and that as they
received the principles of the law into the heart, the image of
God was traced on mind and soul."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 69.
What incident suggests that Jesus was well educated?
John 7:15.
The scholars were astounded at our Lord's breadth of knowl-
edge, especially when they knew He had not attended their
schools. His mental development however was in contrast to
what was generally regarded as superior education. He did not
study the opinions of men; He sought the truth made known
through revelation and the Spirit speaking to His own heart.
Instead of a cramped, narrow, worldly-wise spirit, Jesus could
think creatively and see truth in its beauty and harmony.
THINK IT THROUGH
If I want to reflect the development of Jesus, what shall I
study?
FURTHER STUDY
Child Guidance,
pp. 26-28.
27
3-ASSL 2-77
Model Child and Youth
LESSON 3
Tuesday
April 12
Part 3
What new phase of our Lord's development was marked by
INCREASED IN His visit to the temple when He was 12 years of age?
SENSE OF
LIFE MISSION
"How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about
my Father's business? And they understood not the saying
which he spake unto them" (Luke 2:49, 50).
This was the first time Jesus saw the temple in Jerusalem, the
bleeding sacrificial animals, the cloud of incense, and all the
other solemn and impressive rites of the Passover service. "Day
by day He saw their meaning more clearly. Every act seemed to
be bound up with His own life. New impulses were awakening
within Him. Silent and absorbed, He seemed to be studying out
a great problem. The mystery of His mission was opening to the
Saviour."
—The Desire of Ages,
p. 78.
Our Lord's reply to His parents "showed for the first time that
He understood His relation to God."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 81.
Since Jesus gained knowledge as does every human being,
how did He make it possible for God to reveal more fully His
Messianic role?
"As He walked among men, He was guided, step by step, by
the Father's will. He did not hesitate to act at the appointed time.
With the same submission He waited until the time had
come."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 147.
As man, He was as dependent upon the normal laws of acquir-
ing information as all other men. Furthermore, as man He was
as dependent upon God for special insight and strength to fulfill
God's plan for Him as every man or woman of faith must be.
"The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the
Father do" (John 5:19)—this is the open secret of victorious
Christian living.
THINK IT THROUGH
How can I know my role in life as surely as Jesus knew His?
"As the human was upon Him, He felt His need of strength
from His Father. . . . In this exercise [prayer] His holy, human
soul was strengthened for the duties and trials of the day. Our
Saviour identifies Himself with our needs and weaknesses, in
that He became a suppliant, a nightly petitioner, seeking from
His Father fresh supplies of strength, to come forth invigorated
and refreshed, braced for duty and trial. He is our example in all
things."—Testimonies,
vol. 2, pp. 201, 202.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 81-83.
28
Model Child and Youth
LESSON 3
Wednesday
April 13
Part 4
What kind of example did Jesus leave all sons and
OBEDIENT daughters?
SON
"And he went down with them and came to Nazareth, and
was obedient to them" (Luke 2:51, RSV).
Even though Jesus was recognized by experts as wise beyond
His years, He did not assume self-importance or premature
independence. He did not ignore His responsibilities to His
earthly parents. He learned well the lessons Joseph taught Him
in the carpenter's shop; for 18 years He pondered the mystery of
His mission while He contributed to the financial security of His
family. In so doing He left an example to all sons and daughters
that they should share home expenses as long as they live under
their parents' roof.
Apparently sometime after the Jerusalem visit Joseph died,
adding further responsibilities to Jesus. Besides the burden of
making a living, Jesus filled out His days and nights studying
and meditating. His deep perception of the law of God and its
application to every facet of the daily life set Him apart from His
brothers and sisters as well as from His contemporaries.
Because He placed a high premium on time, natural ability,
and opportunities, He brought forth resentment in those who
wanted an easier program. The misunderstandings were em-
phasized when the rabbis joined with relatives in urging Mary to
control Jesus with a firmer hand. Her troubled heart would be
reassured when He quietly presented Scripture to uphold His
practices.
What tender indication of a son's devotion was expressed in
Jesus' concern for His mother when He was dying on the
cross? John 19:26, 27.
Many sons and daughters forget their parents even when all is
well with them. They have spare rooms, extra cash, health, and
ability to make the last few years of their parents easier to bear.
Yet, a commercial greeting card on a birthday and possibly a
rare phone call is the measure of gratitude that many today can
offer weary, lonely parents.
THINK IT THROUGH
If Jesus is my model, how closely am I following Him in
caring for my parents?
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 84-88.
29
Model Child and Youth
LESSON 3
Thursday
April 14
Parl 5
How does Luke describe the effect of Jesus' life on His
INCREASED fellow men?
IN FAVOR
WITH MEN
"Jesus Increased ... In favour with God and man" (Luke
2:52).
As a youth, Jesus so lived that no one could find fault with His
high standard of living; He was a credit to His family and
neighborhood. For this He was approved.
"Through all those secluded years at Nazareth, His life flowed
out in currents of sympathy and tenderness. The aged, the
sorrowing, and the sin-burdened, the children at play in their
innocent joy, the little creatures of the groves, the patient beasts
of burden,—all were happier for His presence....
" ... He drew the sympathy of all hearts by showing Himself
capable of sympathizing with all. The atmosphere of hope and
courage that surrounded Him made Him a blessing in every
home."
—The Desire of Ages,
p. 74.
Nonbelievers react in different ways when men and women of
faith become known for their standard of right living. The be-
lievers are commended if they keep to themselves and fail to
evangelize actively. Or the believers are openly resented by
those whose consciences are condemned.
Yet godly living from the time of Abel has always been re-
sented by uncommitted people even though they can find no
fault with the believer's life habits. The life of faith annoys the
commandment breaker.
Because He was not exclusive, and because He labored ear-
nestly for the well-being of all humanity regardless of one's
religious connections, He aroused the enmity of the Pharisees:
"He inculcated the principle that Bible religion does not consist
in the mortification of the body.... At all times and in all places
he manifested a loving interest in men, and shed about Him the
light of a cheerful piety. All this was a rebuke to the
Pharisees."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 86.
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the danger of all men thinking well of me?
Jesus was approved in one sense and greatly resented in
another. Jealousy, envy, and the competitive spirit are often
aroused by the life of faith. "Because the life of Jesus con-
demned evil, He was opposed, both at home and abroad. His
unselfishness and integrity were commented on with a sneer.
His forbearance and kindness were termed cowardice."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 88.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 89-92.
30
Model Child and Youth
LESSON 3
Friday
April 15
Part 6
YEARS OF
PREPARATION
How did the Father express His approval of Jesus' 30 years
of human development?
"This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased"
(Matt. 3:17, RSV).
The Bible is silent in regard to those 18 years between the
Passover visit and Jesus' baptism by John. But we would be
making a tragic mistake if we overlooked them. During these
teen-age and young manhood years, Jesus was getting basic
training for His public ministry. There would be no Jesus, as the
Gospel writers knew Him, without the towering record of sin-
lessness and character development during these difficult
years.
Those 30 years prepared Jesus for the life record we know so
well—no one can be a leader overnight whatever His calling. For
this reason, the home education and general schooling
throughout a person's "silent years" is important beyond
words. "Jesus is our example. There are many who dwell with
interest upon the period of His public ministry, while they pass
unnoticed the teaching of His early years. But it is in His home
life that He is the pattern for all children and youth.... He was
doing God's service just as much when laboring at the carpen-
ter's bench as when working miracles for the multitude. And
every youth who follows Christ's example of faithfulness and
obedience in His lowly home may claim those words spoken of
Him by the Father through the Holy Spirit, 'Behold My Servant,
whom I uphold; Mine Elect, in whom My soul delighteth.' Isa.
42:1."
—The Desire of Ages,
p. 74.
What awesome trust is placed on fathers and mothers! Con-
sider the importance of parental instruction in the development
of Jesus.
"It is in the early years that we have the best opportunity for
sowing good seed in their [children's] hearts. If we neglect to do
this work in their childhood, we shall find that Satan will preoc-
cupy the field. Why not preoccupy the field yourself, and before
the Evil one has a chance to plant his seeds of evil, fill the mind
with that which is good and pure?"—Ellen G. White,
Signs of
the Times,
May 20, 1889.
THINK IT THROUGH
What part of life is the prime time for character develop-
ment?
FURTHER STUDY
The Adventist Home,
pp. 187-189.
31
LESSON 4 April 17 - 23
Model Overcome
"Now is my soul troubled; and what
shall I say? Father, save me from this
hour: but for this cause came I unto
this hour" (John 12:27).
One of the primary results of the
incarnation is that Jesus proved that
men and women in their fallen
condition, in connection with the
same divine power that kept Him from
falling, can obey the law of God,
thwart every satanic temptation, and
truly glorify their heavenly Father's
"name." On this fact rests the plan of
salvation; for, without our Lord's
performance, Satan would have won
his argument regarding the unfairness
of God in requiring created beings to
keep an impossible law.
Jesus opened the door of hope for
all men and women. "Those who claim
that it was not possible for Christ to
sin, cannot believe that He really took
upon Himself human nature. But was
not Christ actually tempted, not only
by Satan in the wilderness, but all
through His life, from childhood to
manhood? In all points He was
tempted as we are, and because He
successfully resisted temptation
under every form, He gave man the
perfect example, and through the
ample provision Christ has made, we
may become partakers of the divine
nature, having escaped the corruption
which is in the world through lust.
"Jesus says, 'To him that
overcometh will I grant to sit with me
in my throne, even as I also overcame,
and am set down with my Father in his
throne.' Here is the beginning of our
confidence which we must hold
steadfast unto the end. If Jesus
resisted Satan's temptations, He will
help us to resist. He came to bring
divine power to combine with human
effort."--Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 7,
p. 929.
When we remember Him as our
heavenly Mediator, we have the daily
assurance that "through all our trials
we have a never-failing Helper. He
does not leave us alone to struggle
with temptation, to battle with evil,
and be finally crushed with burdens
and sorrow. Though now He is hidden
from mortal sight, the ear of faith can
hear His voice saying, Fear not; I am
with you. 'I am He that liveth, and was
dead; and behold, I am alive
forevermore.' Rev. 1:18. I have
endured your sorrows, experienced
your struggles, encountered your
temptations. I know your tears; I also
have wept. The griefs that lie too deep
to be breathed into any human ear, I
know. Think not that you are desolate
and forsaken. Though
your
pain touch
no responsive chord in any heart on
earth, look unto Me, and live."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 483.
"He did not consent to sin. Not even
by a thought did He yield to
temptation. So it may be with us.
Christ's humanity was united with
divinity; He was fitted for the conflict
by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
And He came to make us partakers of
the divine nature. So long as we are
united to Him by faith, sin has no more
dominion over us. God reaches for the
hand of faith in us to direct it to lay fast
hold upon the divinity of Christ, that
we may attain to perfection of
character."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 123.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
Sinless, Though Tempted
(John 14:30)
2.
Indulgence of Appetite
(Matt. 4:3)
3.
Presumptuous Venturing
(Matt. 4:5, 6)
4.
Ambition and Pleasures
(Luke 4:5, 6)
5.
Spiritual Weapons
(Luke 4:4)
6.
Tempted as We Are
(Heb. 4:15)
Throughout His life Jesus displayed
to us the source of power for
overcoming—a continual open line
of communicaion with the Father.
Model Overcomer
LESSON 4
Sunday
April 17
Part 1
What is the marvelous fact regarding our Lord's response to
SINLESS temptation?
THOUGH TEMPTED
"The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me"
(John 14:30).
We need never tire repeating the good news: Jesus was met
by Satan with his worst temptations, but He never gave in. Jesus
never sinned.
We hasten to add, however, that Jesus was indeed tempted.
He experienced the reality of temptation. "For we have not a
high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses,
but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet
without sinning" (Heb. 4:15, RSV).
At what point does sin occur: with enticement or consent?
James 1:14, 15.
God has placed natural and legitimate desires within man,
such as the desire for food, for physical comfort, self-
preservation, for parenthood, and for social acceptance. Sin
occurs when a person chooses to satisfy these natural drives
outside of and contrary to the will of God. "No man can be
forced to transgress. His own consent must be first gained; the
soul,must purpose the sinful act before passion can dominate
over reason or iniquity triumph over conscience. Temptation,
however strong, is never an excuse for sin.. . . The Lord . . .
knows how strong are the inclinations of the natural heart, and
He will help in every time of temptation."—Testimonies, vol. 5, p.
177.
"Satan showed his knowledge of the weak points of the
human heart, and put forth his utmost power to take advantage
of the weakness of the humanity which Christ had assumed in
order to overcome his temptations on man's account."—Ellen
G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary, vol.
7, p. 930.
Jesus, as truly man, knew from experience how subtle the
appeal is to satisfy legitimate desires by means that appear
reasonable to the human mind, yet contrary to the will of God.
"Though He had all the strength of passion of humanity, never
did He yield to temptation to do one single act which was not
pure and elevating and ennobling."—In
Heavenly Places,
p.
155.
THINK IT THROUGH
What difference does it make to me that sin is not inevita-
ble?
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 114-116.
34
Model Overcomer
LESSON 4
Monday
April 18
Part 2
What basic human need did Satan try to take advantage of
INDULGENCE when he tempted Christ in the wilderness?
OF APPETITE
THINK IT THROUGH
"If you are the Son of God, command these stones to be-
come loaves of bread" (Matt. 4:3, RSV).
There surely is nothing evil about desiring food, physical
comfort, and whatever else contributes to self-preservation. But
these drives, based on physical needs, can be satisfied in ways
that ultimately destroy the keenness and usefulness of a per-
son's mental, physical, moral, and spiritual powers.
Eve's sin consisted of indulging her appetite in a way that
manifested distrust in God. Ever since the Fall, indulging the
appetite for physical satisfaction alone has been one of man's
basic sins and one of the chief reasons for his deteriorated
state. "Christ knew that the world was given up to gluttony and
that this indulgence would pervert the moral powers. If the
indulgence of appetite was so strong upon the race that, in
orderto break its power, the divine Son of God, in behalf of man,
was required to fast nearly six weeks, what a work is before the
Christian in order that he may overcome even as Christ over-
came! ...
"
In order to impress upon man his obligations to obey the
law of God, Christ began His work of redemption by reforming
the physical habits of man. The declension in virtue and the
degeneracy of the race are chiefly attributable to the indulgence
of perverted
appetite."—Testimonies,
vol. 3, p. 486.
In what ways do I concede to the indulgences of physical
appetite and comfort? What does victory over appetite In-
clude?
We cannot answer these questions for someone else. We
alone know when we pamper our physical desires to that point
where our mental and moral efficiencies are affected.
Headaches, upset stomachs, sluggish willpower, irritated and
impatient attitudes—each may indicate a need to reconsider
our personal habits of indulging our physical desires.
Jesus could withstand the temptations of Satan because He
was master of His physical inclinations; His mind was not be-
clouded, nor was His body overworked by physical excess, from
food, or any other form of physical indulgence.
"The Spirit of God cannot come to our help, and assist us in
perfecting Christian characters, while we are indulging our
appetites to the injury of health, and while the pride of life
controls."—Counsels
on Diet and Foods, p. 57.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 122, 123.
35
Model Overcomer
LESSON 4
Tuesday
April 19
Part 3
How did Satan meet Jesus on our Lord's own ground when
PRESUMPTUOUS he appealed to Him to prove how much He trusted God?
VENTURING
"Then the devil ...said to him, `If you are the Son of God,
throw yourself down; for it is written, "He will give his angels
charge of you." ' " (Matt. 4:5, 6, RSV).
Still appearing as an angel of light, with no observable indica-
tions that he indeed was the evil one, Satan tried to invite trust
by quoting well-known scripture. He tempted Jesus to reach
desirable ends through improper means.
For the second time Satan tempted Jesus to doubt His
identity—"If you are the Son of God." The devil followed this up
with the temptation for Jesus to jump from the highest point in
the temple area and to trust in God to preserve His life. Note how
Satan reversed reality. He tempted Him to doubt God in what
God had declared true—that Jesus was God's Son. On the other
hand, Satan tempted Him to believe God in something God had
never said—that He would protect a person who willfully risked
his life to no purpose but to accept a challenge. Jesus saw
through both parts of the temptation. He would believe what
God said, and He would not act in a way that was unsupported
by God's word.
How subtle the appeal! Not food for His hungry body nor
wealth and fame to satisfy the lust for power, but simply a way to
prove His divine appointment and great faith.
Many human beings have fallen for this temptation—we call it
spiritual pride, even vanity. But Jesus saw clearly what kind of
example He would be presenting to those who were seeking the
righteous life if He should try by dazzling feats to prove His
identity and faith.
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the clear difference between faith and presump-
tion?
"Faith is in no sense allied to presumption. Only he who has
true faith is secure against presumption. For presumption is
Satan's counterfeit of faith. Faith claims God's promises, and
brings forth fruit in obedience. Presumption also claims the
promises, but uses them as Satan did, to excuse transgression.
... It is not faith that claims the favor of Heaven without comply-
ing with the conditions on which mercy is to be granted."—The
Desire of Ages, p. 126.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 124-126.
36
Model Overcomer
LESSON 4
Wednesday
April 20
Part 4
What marvelously subtle temptation did Satan present that
AMBITION AND would suggest how Jesus could achieve His goal as the
PLEASURES world's Redeemer?
"And the devil ... showed him all the kingdoms of the world
in a moment of time, and said to him, `To you I will give all this
authority and their glory' " (Luke 4:5, 6, RSV).
Jesus was a poor man without equity or bank account to
subsidize His new movement. How could He ever get the confi-
dence of men and women that serving Him would be a prudent
decision? The Jews thought of the Messiah as the leader of a
temporal kingdom; they also knew that great happiness and
health would follow the reign of their Messiah. How best could
Jesus satisfy the deep wish of His countrymen and appear
credible?
What a subtle temptation! To be given the kingdoms of the
world immediately would eliminate Calvary. It was a dazzling
opportunity and an almost overpowering temptation to anyone
with the best of motives.
Christ's rejection of Satan's scheme pointed to the nature of
the kingdom He was setting up. The kingdom of God was not to
be advanced by external means; not by d azzl e or force was He to
intimidate the decision of men and women. Jesus knew that to
yield to Satan, even though in exchange Satan was giving Him
the world, would be cooperating with Satan, whose chief
weapons were intrigue, force, and violence.
THINK IT THROUGH
How does Satan present this same temptation to us today?
The allure of the shortcut to reach desirable, legitimate ends
is perhaps the most successful of all temptations to sin. But the
end does not justify the means. By using Satan's methods we
cannot reach those values and goals that God can bless. In an
age of bribery, common cheating, and ill-conceived pity for the
criminal, the person who tries to live a holy life will often find
that it will be a life much like his Saviour's—hardship, conflict,
and loneliness. "His sensitive nature was tortured, His motives
were misunderstood, His work was uncomprehended."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 326.
Any appeal that promises honor, success, or fortune without
struggle, routine obedience to rules, and self-denial is this third
great temptation in modern dress.
"To men he [Satan] offers the kingdom of this world on
condition that they will acknowledge his supremacy. He re-
quires that they sacrifice integrity, disregard conscience, in-
dulge selfishness."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 130.
FURTHER STUDY
Selected Messages,
bk. 1, pp. 285-289.
37
Model Overcomer
LESSON 4
Thursday
April 21
Part 5
How did Jesus effectively thwart the most subtle tempta-
SPIRITUAL tions of Satan?
WEAPONS
"Jesus answered him, 'It is written' " Luke 4:4, RSV).
The temptations presented to Jesus were not academic de-
bates. There was nothing in the first two temptations about the
physical presence of the angel of light that indicated the pres-
ence of Satan. This was genuine temptation; if He knew by just
observation that it was Satan confronting Him, there would
have been no real temptation, any more than if Eve had known
that the beautiful serpent was the devil himself.
The physical presence, the beguiling words, the appeal to
legitimate human wants—all created genuine temptation that
men and women have wrestled with since sin darkened Eden.
The first and only line of defense against Satan's most allur-
ing temptations is the Bible. Satan wanted Christ to perform
miracles to satisfy physical hunger and to prove that He was
indeed the Messiah. But the greatest miracle of all was for a
human being to thwart Satan by simple trust in the power of the
Bible.
There is awesome power in the Bible. Jesus proved it during
those fearful days in the wilderness. " 'Man shall not live by
bread alone, but by every word of God.' Often the follower of
Christ is brought where he cannot serve God and carry forward
his worldly enterprises. Perhaps it appears that obedience to
some plain requirement of God will cut off his means of support.
Satan would make him believe that he must sacrifice his con-
scientious convictions. But the only thing in our world upon
which we can rely is the word of God ... . When we learn the
power of His word, we shall not follow the suggestions of Satan
in order to obtain food or to save our lives."—The
Desire of
Ages,
p. 121.
THINK IT THROUGH
In what ways should I be using the spiritual weapons of the
Bible more consistently?
"Temptations often appear irresistible because, through ne-
glect of prayer and the study of the Bible, the tempted one
cannot readily remember God's promises and meet Satan with the
Scripture weapons. But angels are round about those who are
willing to be taught in divine things; and in the time of great
necessity they will bring to their remembrance the very truths
which are needed."—The
Great Controversy,
p. 600.
FURTHER STUDY
The Great Controversy,
pp. 593-596.
38
Model Overcomer
LESSON 4
Friday
April 22
Part 6
Are Christ's temptations to be considered in a different
TEMPTED category from ours?
AS WE ARE
THINK IT THROUGH
"We have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with
our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been
tempted as we are, yet without sinning" (Heb. 4:15, RSV).
"Christ was tempted by Satan in a hundredfold severer man-
ner than was Adam, and under circumstances in every way more
trying. The deceiver presented himself as an angel of light, but
Christ withstood his temptations. He redeemed Adam's dis-
graceful fall, and saved the world. . .
"Christ's victory was as complete as had been Adam's failure.
So we may resist temptation, and force Satan to depart from
us."—My
Life Today,
p. 323.
We can never say it often enough—Jesus never sinned in
thought or deed. But a song of the ages will be that
Jesus never
sinned while facing and thwarting the temptations common to
fallen man.
"I present before you the great Exemplar. . . . As
really did He meet and resist the temptations of Satan as any of
the children of humanity. In this sense alone could He be a
perfect example for man. He subjected Himself to humanity to
become acquainted with all the temptations wherewith man is
beset. He took upon Him the infirmities and bore the sorrows of
the sons of Adam."—Our
High Calling,
p. 57.
How does Christ's victorious human experience make Him
the perfect High Priest?
Jesus as man's High Priest is our guarantee that all Heaven
knows the weight of our temptations. And He is also a standing
witness that temptations can and must be overcome. " 'Verily,
verily, I say unto you, ... He that beiieveth on Me, the works that I
do shall he do also.' The Saviour was deeply anxious for His
disciples to understand for what purpose His d ivinity was united
to humanity. He came to the world to display the glory of God,
that man might be uplifted by its restoring power. God was
manifested in Him that He might be manifested in them. Jesus
revealed no qualities, and exercised no powers, that men may
not have through faith in Him. His perfect humanity is that which
all His followers may possess, if they will be in subjection to God
as He was."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 664.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 129-131.
39
LESSON 5 April 24 - 30
Model Man of
Prayer
"In the days of his flesh, Jesus
offered up prayers and supplications,
with loud cries and tears, to him who
was able to save him from death, and
he was heard for his godly fear" (Heb.
5:7, RSV).
Jesus' life, like ours, was busy. But
He set His priorities properly—time
spent with God each day is essential
to a spiritual life.
Men and women may impress
others with their knowledge of
theology; they may give many
indications that they are very religious.
But the surest clue to what a person
really thinks about God and about
faith is in his or her understanding of
prayer.
What a person thinks about prayer
reveals the kind of God he worships. If
God is an Absolute Being, brooding
ANIONOMmIllalftememonnwO
"within" or "above" His creation,
then the "worshiper" can only
"brood" back, thinking through the
many ways that such a "God" deserves
respect. But whatever the fertile mind
of such a "worshiper" comes up with,
it will still be the product of human
reason or intuition.
But if God is the self-revealing
Creator of the universe, a spiritual
Person who created man in His own
image (Gen. 1:27), then He is a God
who speaks, who makes Himself
heard, who steps into human history
in many different ways. The God who
speaks to His creation is a God who
solicits a reply.
Men and women were made to
communicate with God. We were
made to respond with love to love. The
communication breaks down when
we rebel and assert our will over
against our Lord's. Distrust replaces
faith that is revealed in love (Gal. 5:6).
Prayer becomes impossible when men
and women distrust God and choose
what seems to them a better way.
But when prayer goes, peace,joy,
and health go too. We were made to
pray even as we were made to
breathe—if we truly want to make the
most out of human existence. It was
the solitary, lonely, selfish, hopeless
person whom God loved, even in his
or her loveless condition. He sent
Jesus to the world to awaken in us our
real possibilities and destinies.
One of the chief results of studying
Jesus as our model is that we learn how
important it is for even perfectly
mature persons to pray. In Jesus we
can see what prayer can do for any
man or woman. We see Him as truly
man offering fearless, trusting prayers
to His heavenly Father. Such was the
God Jesus knew, one who could
evoke such trust, such simple prayers!
And prayer made the difference in
the life of Jesus. If He had not prayed
as He did, He would not have lived as
He did.
"Satan has asserted that men could
not keep the commandments of God.
To prove that they could, Christ
became a man, and lived a life of
perfect obedience, an evidence to
sinful human beings, to the worlds
unfallen, and to the heavenly angels,
that man could keep God's law
through the divine power that is
abundantly provided for all that
believe. In order to reveal God to the
world, to demonstrate as true that
which Satan has denied, Christ
volunteered to take humanity, and in
His power, humanity can obey God....
"Satan exulted when Christ became
a human being, and he compassed His
path with every conceivable
temptation. Human weakness and
tears were His portion; but He sought
unto God, praying with His whole
soul, with strong crying and tears; and
He was heard in that He feared. The
subtlety of the enemy could not
ensnare Him while He made God His
trust, and was obedience to His
words."--Ellen G. White,
Signs of the
Times, May
10, 1899.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
Prayer, a Life Habit
(Markl :35)
2.
"Come Ye . . . Apart"
(Mark 6:31, 32)
3.
Power of Prayer
(Luke 3:21, 22)
4.
Thy Will Be Done
(Matt. 26:39)
5.
Pray for Your Enemies
(Matt. 5:44)
6.
A Divine Science
(Luke 11:10)
Model Man of Prayer
LESSON 5
Sunday
April 24
Part 1
PRAYER, A
LIFE HABIT
What was one of the distinguishing features of Christ's
personal life?
"And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he
went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there
prayed" (Mark 1:35).
Our Lord's enemies were forced to confess, "Never man
spake like this man" (John 7:46). Why? Because never did a
man pray like this man! His example of prayer was not to show
us how God would pray but how men and women must pray.
"Prayer in secret, prayer while the hands are engaged in
labor, prayer while walking by the way, prayer in the night
season, the heart's desires ever ascending to God,—this is our
only safety. In this manner Enoch walked with God. In this
manner our Exemplar obtained strength to tread the thorny
path from Nazareth to Calvary.
"Christ, the sinless One, upon whom the Holy Spirit was
bestowed without measure, constantly acknowledged his de-
pendence upon God, and sought fresh supplies from the
Source of strength and wisdom. . . .
" ... We must look to Christ; we must resist as he resisted; we
must pray as he prayed; we must agonize as he agonized, if we
would conquer as he conquered."—Ellen G. White,
Review and
Herald,
Nov. 8, 1887.
Man that He was, Jesus needed continual supplies of strength
from His heavenly Father in order to remain untainted and an
overcomer. He needed physical strength to cope with the in-
creasing demands upon His time and energy; He needed mental
clearness to see without distortion the will of God for Him daily;
He needed spiritual strength to remain perceptive and fresh as
He shared the insight, hope, and courage with sin-weary con-
temporaries.
"He was unsullied with corruption, a stranger to sin; yet He
prayed, and that often with strong crying and tears. He prayed
for His disciples and for Himself, thus identifying Himself with
our needs, our weaknesses, and our failings, which are so
common with
humanity."—Testimonies,
vol. 2, pp. 508, 509.
THINK IT THROUGH
How can I discover the power of prayer?
We all know how easily and almost imperceptibly we neglect
prayer because it is so familiar—or become bored after thinking
prayer more an obligation than a privilege. Let us watch the
Model Man at prayer and discover the secret of His victories.
FURTHER STUDY
The Ministry of Healing,
pp. 51, 52.
42
Model Man of Prayer
LESSON 5
Monday
April 25
Part 2
"COME YE
. . . APART"
By what incident did Jesus make clear that personal piety is
necessary to sustain spiritual activity for others?
"He said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert
place, and rest a while: for there were many coming and
going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat. And they
departed into a desert place by ship privately" (Mark 6:31, 32).
The disciples had just returned from one of their first mis-
sionary journeys apart from Christ. They had devoted them-
selves to their labors and were now exhausted. Jesus knew that
many dangers arise when men and women try to do personal
work for others when they are physically and mentally tired; the
will is weaker and temptations more subtle and overpowering.
"It is not wise to be always under the strain of work and
excitement, even in ministering to men's spiritual needs; for in
this way personal piety is neglected, and the powers of mind
and soul and body are overtaxed. Self-denial is required of the
disciples of Christ, and sacrifices must be made; but care must
also be exercised lest through their overzeal Satan take advan-
tage of the weakness of humanity, and the work of God be
marred."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 362.
Besides, Jesus knew that without constant spiritual refresh-
ment it is very easy for men and women to feel, almost uncon-
sciously, that their success is the result of their own skills and
perseverance only. Spiritual pride is almost incurable.
Special seasons for prayer, in addition to daily devotions,
seemed to be as necessary for the disciples as they are for us
today; we need special time "to commune with Christ, with
nature, and with their [our] own hearts."—The
Desire of Ages,
p.
360.
The church needs occasions to come apart and study what
God expects from His people, listening as He speaks personally
to the heart and not through human intermediaries.
What kind of "rest" is most conducive to spiritual renewal?
"The rest which Christ and His disciples took was not self-
indulgent rest. The time they spent in retirement was not de-
voted to pleasure seeking. They talked together regarding the
work of God, and the possibility of bringing greater efficiency to
the work."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 361.
THINK IT THROUGH
What adjustments do I need to make in my life to provide
both spiritual activity and spiritual rest?
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 359-363.
43
4-ASSL 2-77
Model Man of Prayer
LESSON 5
Tuesday
April 26
Part 3
What incident in the life of Jesus reveals the power of
POWER OF prayer?
PRAYER
THINK IT THROUGH
"When Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the
heaven was opened, ... and a voice came from heaven, 'Thou
art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased' " (Luke 3:21,
22, RSV).
Christ's prayer at this time was a tremendous demonstration
of how near Heaven may come to a person when he prays.
Instead of an angel's answering the prayer, the Father Himself
sent an acknowledgement—"a dovelike form of purest
light."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 112.
This incident in the life of Christ is only one of many that tell us
"of the power of prayer,—how the human voice may reach the
ear of God, and our petitions find acceptance in the courts of
heaven.... The light which fell from the open portals upon the
head of our Saviour will fall upon us as we pray for help to resist
temptation."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 113.
Our Lord's prayer life is an example of how we should be
praying amidst our earthly difficulties. "As one with us, a sharer
in our needs and weaknesses, He was wholly dependent upon
God, and in the secret place of prayer He sought divine strength,
that He might go forth braced for duty and trial. In a world of sin
Jesus endured struggles and torture of soul. In communion with
God He would unburden the sorrows that were crushing Him.
Here He found comfort and joy.
"In Christ the cry of humanity reached the Father of infinite
pity. Asa man He supplicated the throne of God till His humanity
was charged with a heavenly current that should connect hu-
manity with divinity. Through continual communion He re-
ceived life from God, that He might impart life to the world. His
experience is to be ours."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 363.
What opportunity do I give God to speak His will clearly to
me? What changes should I make in my life that will permit
God to speak directly, unmistakably to my soul?
None of us can be overcomers at last or enjoy spiritual peace
now if we live on secondhand information about God or if our
faith is rented from someone else. We must discover for our-
selves, individually, that the surest evidence for the divinity of
Scriptures and the existence of God is the "voice of God"
speaking to our souls. (See
The Ministry of Healing,
pp. 461,
462.)
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 111-113.
44
Model Man of Prayer
LESSON 5
Wednesday
April 27
Part 4
THY WILL
BE DONE
THINK IT THROUGH
At what terrible moment in our Lord's life did He turn in
prayer to God for help?
"0 my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me:
nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt" (Matt. 26:39).
Gethsemane was no sham affair. All Jesus had with which to
fend off satanic doubt was the truths of Scripture, prayer, and
His own experience.
The outlook, humanly speaking, was desperately bleak. It
seemed, from all outward evidence, that Jesus had failed His
mission. Guilty and ungrateful men and women seemed beyond
redemption.
His humanity cried out three times those chilling, bitter
words: "If it be possible, let this cup pass." But always He
added. "Nevertheless, not as I will, but as though wilt." "Terrible
was the temptation to let the human race bear the conse-
quences of its own guilt."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 688.
He prayed "for His own tempted, agonized soul. . . . Three
times has humanity shrunk from the last crowning
sacrifice."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 690. But always He breathed
submission—the last stretch of trust when all else seemed lost.
In answer to His prayers help came—not that He should be
taken from that terrible ordeal but that He would be
strengthened to drink this last cup of self-denial on behalf of
others.
After hours of anguish such as no man has ever yet endured,
bloodied in the duel with Satan, we find Jesus not prostrate,
conceding the field to Satan and pliable in the hands of His
adversaries. Hardly. We find Him in command of the situation,
awakening His disciples. Then He faced up to the murderous
mob coming from the city, led byJudas. He stood in dignity and
glory before the hardened soldiers and calloused priests—the
product of prayer.
How can I give God a chance to do for me what He did for
Jesus when I face the crushing, almost insoluble problems of
life?
For Jesus, prayer was not a procedure whereby God would
give Him whatever He asked, if He prayed long enough. Neither
was prayer a mere mental reflex. Jesus did not merely talk to
Himself in Gethsemane and transform Himself into the Man who
faced the world as He did at His trial and crucifixion. All through
His life prayer was communion with His heavenly Father and the
avenue for receiving heavenly strength.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 685-697.
45
Model Man of Prayer
LESSON 5
Thursday
April 28
Part 5
PRAY FOR
YOUR ENEMIES
What remarkable command did Jesus give to His followers
regarding their attitude toward their enemies?
"Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to
them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use
you, and persecute you" (Matt. 5:44).
Loving one's enemies, extending the hand of forgiveness to
an offender, is uncommon behavior anywhere, any time. Even
to the Jews, God's people, this was a strange admonition; for
they cultivated a spirit of retaliation, especially to the Romans.
Jesus is not suggesting, however, that by praying for one's
enemies, His followers are to accept wrongs done to others
without appropriate response. "When they [God's followers]
see that God is dishonored, and His service brought into disre-
pute, when they see the innocent oppressed, a righteous indig-
nation stirs the soul. Such anger, born of sensitive morals, is not
a sin. But those who at any supposed provocation feel at liberty
to indulge anger or resentment are opening the heart to Satan.
Bitterness and animosity must be banished from the soul if we
would be in harmony with heaven."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 310.
To pray for one's enemies requires the Spirit of God; it is
almost a reflex action for non-Christians to hate and to seek
revenge. But the Spirit of God will help create the character of
God; His followers will see others as God does, pitying us all,
even when we rebel in the face of His love. "It is only the Spirit of
God that gives love for hatred. To be kind to the unthankful and
to the evil, to do good hoping for nothing again, is the insignia of
the royalty of heaven, the sure token by which the children of the
Highest reveal their high estate."—Thoughts
From the Mount of
Blessing,
p. 75.
In what experience do we see most clearly Jesus practicing
the principles He taught in Matthew 5:44? Luke 23:33, 34.
THINK IT THROUGH
How can I make a difference between opposing sin and
opposing the sinner?
"When trials arise that seem unexplainable, we should not
allow our peace to be spoiled. However unjustly we may be
treated, let not passion arise. By indulging a spirit of retaliation
we injure ourselves. We destroy our own confidence in God,
and grieve the Holy Spirit."—
Christ's Object Lessons,
pp. 171,
172.
FURTHER STUDY
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,
"The Spirituality of the
Law" (Matt. 5:44), pp. 73-75.
46
Model Man of Prayer
LESSON 5
Friday
April 29
Part 6
What practical counsel did Jesus give His disciples when
A DIVINE they asked Him to teach them how to pray?
SCIENCE
THINK IT THROUGH
"For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh
findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Luke
11:10).
After Jesus outlined a model prayer for His disciples, He
illustrated His lesson with a parable. The story described a man
who, when suddenly visited by guests, went to a neighbor and
implored some bread in order to feed his hungry friends.
By contrast Jesus taught that if a selfish man would grant a
request to a troublesome neighbor, how much more would God
answer our requests when we ask in order to serve others.
The instruction given regarding prayer in Luke 11 is really a
mirror of our Lord's way of life. He sought help daily in order to
serve better His fellowmen. But His instruction is not to be
passed over quickly. "There is a divine science in prayer, and
His illustration brings to view principles that all need to under-
stand. He shows what is the true spirit of prayer, He teaches the
necessity of perseverance in presenting our requests to God,
and assures us of His willingness to hear and answer
prayer."—Christ's Object Lessons,
p. 142.
What is the true spirit of prayer that is taught in this parable
of the host without bread? Luke 11:5-8.
"We are to ask that we may give. The principle of Christ's life
must be the principle of our lives.... The same devotion, the
same self-sacrifice, the same subjection to the claims of the
word of God, that were manifest in Christ, must be seen in His
servants. Our mission to the world is not to serve or please
ourselves; we are to glorify God by co-operating with Him to
save sinners. We are to ask blessings from God that we may
communicate to others."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
pp. 142,
143.
In analyzing my private and public prayers, for what do I ask
and seek? Do I endeavor to change God's mind, or do I ask for
that which would bring me into harmony with His mind?
Are we asking for those specific blessingi that will make us
more like Jesus? Do we ask for blessings when there are areas
in our lives that are not reflecting God's will as we know it? Do
we use prayer to take the place of duty? Do we know the
difference between genuine prayer and the impulse of the mo-
ment?
FURTHER STUDY
Christ's Object Lessons,
"Asking to Give," pp. 142-149.
47
LESSON 6 May 1 - 7
Model Witness
"I, when I am lifted up from the
earth, will draw all men to myself"
(John 12:32, RSV).
Jesus included everyone as a
possible candidate for eternal life;
exclusivism is not a characteristic of
genuine Christianity.
How strange and tragic it is that the
Christian church has often become
exclusive. In many lands, political
leaders and the wealthy are associated
with a particular denomination;
middle class, small business operators
call to mind another denomination;
and so it goes through the various
social, economic, and intellectual
levels of society. In too many cases,
nonbelievers as well as believers are
frozen out of those churches which
cater to a different social class.
When Jesus chose the nucleus of
the church, He attempted the grand
experiment—and eventually was
successful. The rich and poor, the
philosophical and the naive, the
refined and the crude—all gathered at
the call of One who said, "Follow Me."
And all their needs were supplied,
varied as they were.
Could there be anything more
important for the church to learn well
today than to watch how Jesus related
to the nonbeliever? The rich or the
poor, the philosophical or the
unlettered, the refined and the crude,
are still with us. And we too must vary
our bait and tailor our approach if we
are to gain the confidence of people of
various needs and customs, all of
whom need to hear God's call today.
Jesus has shown us also that most
people will not find their way to Him
on their own volition; they must be
appealed to, their interest must be
awakened, and their sensibilities must
be respected. "Christ's method alone
will give true success in reaching the
people. The Saviour mingled with men
as one who desired their good. He
showed His sympathy for them,
ministered to their needs, and won
their confidence. Then He bade them,
'Follow Me.'
"—The Ministry of
Healing,
p. 143.
Jesus reached out to help everyone.
He sought out the higher ranks of
society with tender interest, as well as
the lower.
He knew that by concentrating
exclusively on either the "higher
classes" or on the "lower classes," as
the world designates them, the church
would in the end lose its dynamic
power and also repel people whom He
came to save.
Often the messenger to our church
has issued appeals such as this:
"Much has been lost by our people
through following such narrow plans
that the more intelligent,
better-educated classes are not
reached. Too often the work has been
so conducted as to impress
unbelievers that it is of very little
consequence—some stray offshoot of
religious enthusiasm, entirely beneath
their notice. Much has been lost for
want of wise methods of labor. Every
effort should be made to give
character and dignity to the work."
—Evangelism,
p. 562.
The ministry of Jesus went beyond
words. His life and actions were a
constant testimony, bringing divine
light into a darkened world.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
To the Educated
(John 3:10)
2.
To the Less Educated
(Mark 12:37)
3.
To Sinners at the Bottom of the
Social Scale
(John 4:9)
4.
To Sinners at the Top of the Social
Scale
(Acts 10:1-3)
5.
To Crass Materialists
(Matt. 5:46)
6.
With Something for Everybody
(Luke 5:31, 32)
Model Witness
LESSON 6
Sunday
May 1
Part 1
What particular experience in our Lord's life helps us to
TO THE EDUCATED understand how to present the gospel to the educated mind?
"Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of
Israel, and knowest not these things?" (John 3:10).
Read verses 1-10.
Nicodemus represents a vast number of men and women who
have attained a noble, moral character in an immoral society.
They have reached this achievement by education, self-
discipline, and high religious ideals. Such persons have at-
tained life at its best, as this world knows it, and enjoyed its
satisfactions and privileges. Nevertheless, Nicodemus, a distin-
guished teacher, a leader of respected integrity, a member of
the Sanhedrin, was strangely moved by the young Teacher from
Nazareth, who aroused serious doubts about what was missing
in "the good life."
Nicodemus arranged for an uninterrupted inverview at night.
He shrank from the scorn that would come if he showed defer-
ence to a traveling teacher without proper university degrees.
His complimentary address was met by a kind statement that
went directly to the point. Nicodemus was looking forward to a
keen discussion about truth, but Jesus did not waste his time
parrying theory. Although Nicodemus wanted a teacher, Jesus
knew that he needed a Saviour. (See John 3:3.)
Though a skillful persuader, Jesus did not try to meet argu-
ment with argument or force submission. He led Nicodemus
from the known to the unknown. He appealed to a great moment
in Jewish history (John 3:14) that the learned ruler knew well
and led him to ask from his heart, How and Why?
Then with expert handling of the human heart, Jesus, appeal-
ing to life's highest motivation, answered these questions with
"Because—God so loved." Even the brightest minds need more
than indoctrination and argument; they must be introduced to
the loving, bleeding heart of the Saviour.
Although Jesus did not press for a decision in that first inter-
view, He did what He could to meet Nicodemus man to man,
mind to mind, and heart to heart. Our Lord's confidence was not
misplaced. His methods were effective, for Nicodemus became
a bulwark of the infant Christian church, confessing freely that
life at its best is not good enough without a transforming faith in
Jesus.
THINK IT THROUGH
What growth do I need so that educated people may respect
my logic and compassion enough to trust what I say about
Jesus?
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 167-177.
50
Model Witness
LESSON 6
Monday
May 2
Part 2
TO THE
LESS EDUCATED
THINK IT THROUGH
How did less educated people react to Jesus?
"And the common people heard him gladly" (Mark 12:37).
The wisdom that is heaven-born and that leads to heaven is
not gained by the usual avenues of academic training. Yet, such
wisdom must be grasped, appreciated, and assimilated by the
educated and uneducated alike.
One of the reasons why more educated people did not follow
Jesus isthat the truths of Christianity can be understood only by
those who distrust themselves and crush pride of opinion, re-
nouncing every sin that the Spirit of God reveals. (See
The
Desire of Ages,
p. 455.)
But one of the reasons why more uneducated people did not
follow Jesus is that truth cannot grow in the heart of an inatten-
tive hearer.
Jesus did not belittle manual labor. His body showed the
ruggedness of a hard-working carpenter. He was able to appeal
to the toiling farmer, artisan, or fisherman. From experience He
knew the thoughts that cross the mind of those who labor daily
for life's necessities. He could speak to their humble concerns,
using "the simplest terms and the plainest symbols."—The
Ministry of Healing,
p. 443.
One of the secrets of Christ's effectiveness with the un-
schooled is that He could see great potential when others saw
nothing special. "In the common walks of life there is many a
man patiently treading the round of daily toil, unconscious that
he possesses powers which, if called into action, would raise
him to an equality with the world's most honored men. The
touch of a skillful hand is needed to arouse those dormant
faculties."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 250.
This keen appreciation of unseen qualities, especially in the
uneducated, is one of the strongest ties that a soul-winner can
develop. Trust begets trust. When a nonbeliever sees that it is
the spirit of Jesus that leads church members to spend time and
effort in their behalf, the attraction to Jesus as Lord will be deep
indeed.
Do I see the unseen qualities in others? How can I assist
them in reaching out for opportunities to grow under the
Lord's guidance?
"It is the highest work of education ... to impart that vitalizing
energy which is received through the contact of mind with
mind, and soul with soul. It is only life that can beget life."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 250.
FURTHER STUDY
Education,
pp. 84-86.
51
Model Witness
LESSON 6
Tuesday
May 3
Part 3
TO SINNERS AT
THE BOTTOM OF
THE SOCIAL SCALE
THINK IT THROUGH
In what experience did Jesus show His disciples how they
ought to relate to those whom they might consider "hopeless
cases"?
"The Samaritan woman said to him, 'How is it that you, a
Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?' " (John 4:9,
RSV).
Because fellow countrymen were making His ministry dif-
ficult, Jesus took the opportunity to show His disciples that the
gospel of the kingdom could be appreciated by those of whom
the least might be expected—society's apparently hopeless
cases. With the Samaritan woman Jesus showed that His saving
power could leap over any social, racial, or moral barrier.
Jesus was always alert to another's need. "With matchless
skill, he arrested her attention by asking for a drink of water;
then he aroused her curiosity by making some striking state-
ments; and by a process of self-revelation he led her to an
intense desire for soul-satisfaction which she had thus far
missed."—Gaines S. Dobbins,
Evangelism According to Christ,
(New York: Harper and Bros., 1949), p. 55.
Kindly but firmly Jesus helped the woman to see herself
realistically. He did not cover up her sin by offering forgiveness
before she saw the depths of her problem and was willing to
repent. Although she tried to divert Him, He held to His course.
He appealed to those motivations that pull at the deepest wants
of men and women: love, worship, truth, fulfillment, salvation.
The stirring of her deepest human needs helped her to realize
that this Friend of the nonbeliever had something for her.
The Samaritan woman reminds us that, though a person may
have lived in the mire of sin, there may yet be much that can be
salvaged. In that noonday conversation she perceived more
about our lord's message than Nicodemus, or the leaders in
Jerusalem, or even the disciples had at that point. Somehow the
master disciple winner had helped her to take an honest look at
herself. He gave her a hope of recovery, believed that she was
redeemable, and talked to her, not with scorn, but firmly and
compassionately.
Whom have I considered scarcely worth saving because he
has been living at the bottom of the social scale?
"The gospel invitation is not to be narrowed down, and pre-
sented only to a select few, who, we suppose, will do us honor if
they accept it. The message is to be given to all."—
The Desire of
Ages,
p. 194.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 183-195.
52
Model Witness
LESSON 6
Wednesday
May 4
Part 4
What outstanding New Testament incident shows how in-
TO SINNERS AT terested God is in the salvation of the wealthy?
THE TOP OF THE
SOCIAL SCALE
"At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, . . . a
devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms
liberally to the people, and prayed constantly to God. About
the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of
God" (Acts 10:1-3, RSV).
"So today God is seeking for souls among the high as well as
the low. There are many like Cornelius, men whom He desires to
connect with His church. Their sympathies are with the Lord's
people. But the ties that bind them to the world hold them firmly.
It requires moral courage for these men to take their position
with the lowly ones."—The
Ministry of Healing,
p. 209.
Jesus understood the needs and desires of the upper classes
equally as well as He understood those of the lower. He adapted
His approach to the rich with no less masterful skill. "He sought
the acquaintance of the wealthy and cultured Pharisee, the
Jewish nobleman, and the Roman ruler. He accepted their invi-
tations, attended their feasts, made Himself familiar with their
interests and occupations, that He might gain access to their
hearts, and reveal to them the imperishable riches."
—The
Ministry of Healing,
pp. 24, 25.
The wealthy are more often neglected than the poor because
their riches seem to indicate that they lack nothing.
The instruction to the church is clear: "Those who belong to
the higher ranks of society are to be sought out with tender
affection and brotherly regard. Men in business life, in high
positions of trust, men with large inventive faculties and scien-
tific insight, men of genius, teachers of the gospel whose minds
have not been called to the special truths for this time—these
should be the first to hear the
call."—Christ's Object Lessons,
p. 230.
THINK IT THROUGH
What special characteristics should mark those who work
for the wealthy and upper classes?
Although the disciple winners who seek out those higher up
in the social scale need not embellish themselves with the
trappings of wealth, "they will have to sharpen up, and be armed
and equipped in order to present the truth intelligently and to
reach the higher classes. Their minds must rise higher, and
show greater strength and clearness."—Evangelism, p. 556.
FURTHER STUDY
The Ministry of Healing,
pp. 209-216.
53
Model Witness
LESSON 6
Thursday
May 5
Part 5
"If ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do
TO CRASS not even the publicans the same?" (Matt. 5:46).
MATERIALISTS
The publican was the local collector of taxes for Rome—a
member of the class of society most offensive to the Jews. The
Roman government auctioned off the privilege of collecting
taxes within a city or province to the highest bidder. He then
collected the payment either directly or through his agents. To
the Jews, the payment of taxes was especially offensive, be-
cause it represented the tyranny of Rome; and the tax collector
was usually an extortionist who demanded as much as the
traffic would bear. "A Jew who accepted this office at the hands
of the Romans was looked upon as betraying the honor of his
nation. He was despised as an apostate, and was classed with
the vilest of society."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 272.
What remarkable invitation by Jesus gives hope to crass
materialists everywhere? Matt. 9:9.
Matthew was the fifth man to hear our Lord's call to join His
service. Although almost everyone else judged Matthew ac-
cording to his occupation, Jesus saw that Matthew recognized
his need for spiritual help.
What further act, though infuriating the sanctimonious
church members, indicates how wide the outreach of the
Christian church must be? Matt. 9:10-13.
"Jesus sat as an honored guest at the table of the publicans,
by His sympathy and social kindliness showing that He recog-
nized the dignity of humanity; and men longed to become
worthy of His confidence. Upon their thirsty hearts His words
fell with blessed, life-giving power. New impulses were
awakened, and the possibility of a new life opened to these
outcasts of society."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 274.
THINK IT THROUGH
How can I follow Christ's example in extending the hand of
friendship to highly visible worldlings? Should the Christian
assume the life-style of the worldling in order to be more
effective?
"The Pharisees would not consider thatJesus was eating with
publicans and sinners in order to bring the light of heaven to
those who sat in darkness. They would not see that every word
dropped by the divine Teacher was a living seed that would
germinate and bear fruit to the glory of God."—The
Desire of
Ages,
p. 276.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 272-276.
54
Model Witness
LESSON 6
Friday
May 6
Part 6
What words of Jesus throw open the door of the church to all
WITH classes of society?
SOMETHING
FOR
"Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those
EVERYBODY who are sick; I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners
to repentance" (Luke 5:31, 32, RSV).
Jesus broke through many social and religious barriers by His
behavior as well as by His teachings. When He sat at the hon-
ored seat in Matthew's home, surrounded by the scorned and
despised of His day, He was signaling that God's heart is big
enough to receive anyone who senses his need for spiritual
help, regardless of his social circumstances.
Jesus never refused an opportunity to sow the seed of truth.
Through the art of winning conversation, the gracious consid-
eration for every person He met, He drew hearts to Himself—no
one was excluded from fellowship with God.
What approach did Jesus use in "telling the truth"?
"He did not make a direct attack on the errors of the people.
He saw the misery of the world on account of sin, yet He did not
present before them a vivid delineation of their wretchedness.
He taught them of something infinitely better than they had
known. Without combating their ideas of the kingdom of God,
He told them the conditions of entrance therein, leaving them to
draw their own conclusions as to its nature."—The
Desire of
Ages,
p. 299.
THINK IT THROUGH
What value is there to me in studying the words and acts of
Jesus, especially in regard to meeting nonbelievers?
"In the training of the disciples the example of the Saviour's
life was far more effective than any mere doctrinal instruction.
When they were separated from Him, every look and tone and
word came back to them. Often when in conflict with the
enemies of the gospel, they repeated His words, and as they saw
their effect upon the people, they rejoiced greatly."—The
Desire
of Ages,
pp. 349, 350.
One of the first principles that Jesus made clear is that no one
is to be considered worthless. "In whatever company He found
Himself He presented a lesson appropriate to the time and the
circumstances. Every neglect or insult shown by men to their
fellow men only made Him more conscious of their need of His
divine-human sympathy. He sought to inspire with hope the
roughest and most unpromising."—The
Ministry of Healing,
pp.
25, 26.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 350, 351.
55
LESSON 7 May 8 - 14
Model of Integrity
"A bruised reed he will not break,
and a dimly burning wick he will
not quench;
he will faithfully bring forth
justice.
He will not fail or be discouraged
till he has established justice in
the earth."
Isa. 42:3, 4, RSV.
Over 700 years before Christ's birth,
Isaiah prophesied that He would be a
man of great integrity. Though He
needed to get the attention of the
world, He would not employ any of
the self-serving methods that were
traditionally used. "The homage
which the world gives to position, or
wealth, or talent, was foreign to the
Son of man. None of the means that
men employ to win allegiance or
command homage did Jesus use.. ..
"In marked contrast to all this was
the life of Jesus. In that life no noisy
disputation, no ostentatious worship,
no act to gain applause, was ever
witnessed. Christ was hid in God, and
God was revealed in the character of
His Son. To this revelation Jesus
desired the minds of the people to be
directed, and their homage to be
given."—The
Desire of Ages,
pp. 260,
261.
The integrity of Jesus was based on
a life in proper perspective; He kept
His priorities clear and the various
facets of life in balance.
There is little test to integrity if a
person has no power or wealth or
advantage that others want, or if there
is no real opportunity to make
personal gain by moral shortcuts. But
Jesus could have had everything that
others coveted and could use to their
advantage—He could gain the
attention of men and women
everywhere by appealing to and
satifying their selfish desires. He
could, if He wanted to rationalize, tell
Himself that such would be fulfilling
His mission as God's emissary to win
the hearts of humanity.
But Jesus, the model for man was
kept true to duty because He
permitted nothing to divide His loyalty
to God; the wholeness of His fidelity,
the undeviating allegiance to
principle, was a reflection of what we
call integrity.
He gave us a personal example of
the price a person pays in maintaining
his integrity. Because of Jesus we
know that "the Christian life is a battle
and a march. In this warfare there is no
release; the effort must be continuous
and persevering. It is by unceasing
endeavor that we maintain the victory
over the temptations of Satan.
Christian integrity must be sought
with resistleSs energy and maintained
with a resolute fixedness of
purpose."—The
Ministry of Healing,
p. 453.
There are seemingly endless ways
by which "good" men and women
take moral shortcuts while they are
attempting to do good works. The
human mind seems to be extremely
productive in manufacturing excuses
for such items as padding expense
accounts, cheating on income taxes,
or customs duty, reducing tithes and
offerings, or remaining silent when
others are falsely accused or criticized.
Our life record often looks very cheap
and regrettable when compared to our
model.
No wonder this gem was penned:
"The greatest want of the world is the
want of men—men who will not be
bought or sold, men who in their
inmost souls are true and honest, men
who do not fear to call sin by its right
name, men whose conscience is as
true to duty as the needle to the pole,
men who will stand for the right
though the heavens
fall."—Education,
p. 57.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
He Taught Loyalty
(Matt. 6:24)
2.
He Refused to Take Advantage
(John 5:41-43)
3.
He Was No Policy Man
(Luke 15:1, 2)
4.
He Joined Truth, Peace, and
Humility
(Matt. 11:29)
5.
He Requires Devotion to Duty
(Luke 9:23)
6.
He Paid the Price of Truth
(John 6:66, 67)
Model of Integrity
LESSON 7
Sunday
May 8
Part 1
What fundamental principle of mental and spiritual health
HE TAUGHT did Jesus state clearly?
LOYALTY
"No man can serve two masters" (Matt. 6:24).
The English word "integrity" is derived from the Latin word
for "wholeness." We maintain integrity when there is an undi-
vided loyalty; integrity exists when there is nothing missing,
when all is together and complete. When part of a person's life
seems devoted to one set of principles and another phase to
conflicting principles, we say that such a person has lost his
integrity; he lives a divided life.
What did James say about a person who has lost integrity?
James 1:8.
THINK IT THROUGH
"We cannot serve God with a divided heart. Bible religion is
not one influence among many others; its influence is to be
supreme, pervading and controlling every other. It is not to be
like a dash of color brushed here and there upon the canvas, but
it is to pervade the whole life, as if the canvas were dipped into
the color, until every thread of the fabric were dyed a deep,
unfading hue."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 312.
There are many ways to be a rebel, but only one way to be
loyal. Jesus, from His earliest experiences where He had to
make choices, set the pattern for human integrity. "At a very
early age, Jesus had begun to act for Himself in the formation of
His character, and not even respect and love for His parents
could turn Him from obedience to God's word. 'It is written' was
His reason for every act that varied from the family customs. But
the influence of the rabbis made His life a bitter one. Even in His
youth He had to learn the hard lesson of silence and patient
endurance."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 86.
When others are misunderstood and accused unfairly, what
is my response?
"Worldly policy and the undeviating principles of righteous-
ness do not blend into each other imperceptibly, like the colors
of the rainbow. Between the two a broad, clear line is drawn by
the eternal God. The likeness of Christ stands out as distinct
from that of Satan as midday in contrast with midnight. And only
those who live the life of Christ are His co-workers. If one sin is
cherished in the soul, or one wrong practice retained in the life,
the whole being is contaminated."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 313.
FURTHER STUDY
The Ministry of Healing,
pp. 197, 198.
58
Model of Integrity
LESSON 7
Monday
May 9
Part 2
What simple statement revealed our Lord's total commit-
HE REFUSED ment to seek the glory of God alone?
TO TAKE
ADVANTAGE
"I do not receive glory from men. . . . I have come in my
Father's name, and you do not receive me; if another comes in
his own name, him you will receive" (John 5:41-43, RSV).
"Jesus came by the authority of God, bearing His image,
fulfilling His word, and seeking His glory; yet He was not ac-
cepted by the leaders in Israel; but when others should come,
assuming the character of Christ, but actuated by their own will
and seeking their own glory, they would be received. And why?
Because he who is seeking his own glory appeals to the desire
for self-exaltation in others."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 212.
If ever there was a man who could have amazed His fellow
men with brilliant mental excursions, marvelous feats of mem-
ory, or the most charming graciousness that would have made
everyone feel that all was well—Jesus was that person. But that
would not have given us an example of love and integrity. "None
of the means that men employ to win allegiance or command
homage did Jesus use."—The
Ministry of Healing,
p. 31.
Jesus did not seek attention by dazzling the senses with His
glory; He did not seek distinction by purely human achievement
gained by great mental or physical effort. He turned the atten-
tion of His listeners to the love of God and away from Himself, to
give glory to God, not applause for Himself. Such is integrity in
living the Christian life.
THINK IT THROUGH
How can we appeal to the wealthy and the educated without
courting their favor and receiving special attention?
The test of integrity comes when we are able to treat all men
alike, giving courtesies and time to the poor and rich alike.
There is a difference between courting favor and humbly shar-
ing truth in the most refined manner possible. "He set at nought
the artificial distinctions of society. The aristocracy of birth,
wealth, talent, learning, rank, He ignored."—The
Ministry of
Healing,
p. 197.
The call to reflect the glory of God (that is, the character of
Jesus) and the unconsecrated urge to magnify self create a
division within the church member who professes Christianity.
All acts to gain applause, even where others gain a blessing,
reveal a spirit that is yet divided and lacking in integrity.
FURTHER STUDY
The Ministry of Healing,
pp. 196, 197.
59
Model of Integrity
LESSON 7
Tuesday
May 10
Part 3
What circumstance demonstrated that Jesus would not fol-
HE WAS NO low a course of action merely because it was generally ex-
POLICY MAN pected of Him?
"Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for
to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying,
This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them" (Luke
15:1, 2).
The church leaders insinuated that Jesus preferred to
socialize with well-known sinners. "If He were a true prophet,
they said, He would harmonize with them [the rabbis], and
would treat the publicans and sinners with the indifference they
deserved. It angered these guardians of society that He with
whom they were continually in controversy, yet whose purity of
life awed and condemned them, should meet, in such apparent
sympathy, with social outcasts. They did not approve of His
methods."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
p. 185.
In other words, Jesus was not a policy man; He did not live his
life in accordance with mere human expectation but in con-
formity with what God wished would be human policy.
When Jesus ate with the publicans at Matthew's house,
what crisis did He cause? Matt. 9:10-13.
"He well knew that this would give offense to the Pharisaic
party, and would also compromise Him in the eyes of the
people. But no question of policy could influence His move-
ments. With Him external distinctions weighed nothing."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 274.
A man guided merely by policy will in some way recognize
distinction of race, or rank, or creed. Instead of perceiving with
a clear eye what Jesus would do, a policy man endeavors to
please those who can return his favors and guarantee his per-
sonal security. But for Jesus, "no question of policy could
influence His movements."
THINK IT THROUGH
What is the policy principle today? What excuses do I nor-
mally give for my concessions to the policy principle?
"The policy principle is one that will assuredly lead into dif-
ficulties. He who regards the favor of men as more desirable
than the favor of God will fall under the temptation to sacrifice
principle for worldly gain or recognition. Thus fidelity to God is
constantly being sacrificed. . .. Hold fast your integrity in the
strength of the grace of Christ, and He will fulfill His word to
you."—Counsels to Teachers,
pp. 485, 486.
FURTHER STUDY
The Ministry of Healing,
pp. 452, 453.
60
Model of Integrity
LESSON 7
Wednesday
May 11
Part 4
What winsome invitation from Jesus reveals how His way of
HE JOINED TRUTH, life joins truth, peace, and humility?
PEACE, AND
HUMILITY
"Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and
lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls" (Matt.
11:29).
Learning of Jesus implies truth. His meekness and lowliness
combine in humility, and peace is the rest that He offers. These
were combined in His life and offered to His followers.
Perfect peace reigned in the heart of Jesus because He was a
man of integrity; that is, He lived by the truth. There was no
indecision or division of interest. Truth was His only concern.
He did not bend His behavior to please others or Himself. This
we will practice too if we learn of Him.
"We cannot follow Christ without wearing His yoke, without
lifting the cross and bearing it after Him. If our will is not in
accord with the divine requirements, we are to deny our inclina-
tions, give up our darling desires, and step in Christ's
footsteps."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commen-
tary,
vol. 5, pp. 1090, 1091.
Peace, humility, and integrity are interdependent virtues.
Without integrity there can be no peace or humility.
The person who looks for recognition every time he does a
good deed will often look in vain; his peace will often be dis-
turbed because he feels slighted. Such a person reveals a very
immature, partial understanding of truth. Truth, as we see it in
Jesus, brings peace and issues forth in humility.
THINK IT THROUGH
Do I see the connection between the reality of inward, spot-
less integrity and the absence of outward show?
The Jewish leaders, as well as most of the nation, rejected
Jesus largely because He did not conform to their expectations
of greatness and truth. Truth "has been unpopular ever since
Satan gave man a disrelish for it by presenting fables that lead to
self-exaltation... .
"Because their understanding was darkened by selfish prej-
udice, they could not harmonize the power of Christ's convict-
ing words with the humility of His life. They did not appreciate
the fact that real greatness can dispense with outward show....
They questioned, If He was what He claimed to be, why was He
so unpretending?"—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 242.
The Pharisees were also offended by His "spotless integrity.
His blameless life flashed light upon their hearts.... Such a light
was unwelcome."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 243.
FURTHER STUDY
The Ministry of Healing,
pp. 477, 478.
61
Model of Integrity
LESSON 7
Thursday
May 12
Part 5
What did Jesus teach about self and following Him?
HE REQUIRES
DEVOTION
"If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and
TO DUTY take up his cross daily, and follow me" (Luke 9:23).
It seems natural for the uncommitted or even the partially
committed heart to seek self-gratification, to work even noble
and spiritual duties into opportunities for selfish reward. But
when Jesus tells us to take His yoke and His cross, both symbols
of giving up the will to God, He is asking us to face life as He did.
"He was never elated by applause, nor dejected by censure or
disappointment. Amid the greatest opposition and the most
cruel treatment, He was still of good courage. But many who
profess to be His followers have an anxious, troubled heart,
because they are afraid to trust themselves with God. They do
not make a complete surrender to Him; for they shrink from the
consequences that such a surrender may involve. Unless they
do make this surrender, they cannot find peace."—The
Desire
of Ages,
p. 330.
When we walk in His steps, we shall not be seeking the
highest place. The Christian is more interested in leaving the
sweet fragrance of Jesus than having the reward. "We shall
understand that the value of our work does not consist in mak-
ing a show and noise in the world, and in being active and
zealous in our own strength."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 331.
The burden of life is very heavy when we concern ourselves
with seeking proper recognition. Anxiety and stress may largely
be due to an excess of concern for personal reward. These
afflictions can be immeasurably reduced by recognizing God as
the One to whom all credit is due.
THINK IT THROUGH
How can I know that when I do a good deed I will be uncon-
cerned about who gets the credit, or whether my efforts were
appreciated or not?
"We need to beware of self-pity. Never indulge the feeling that
you are not esteemed as you should be, that your efforts are not
appreciated, that your work is too difficult. Let the memory of
what Christ has endured for us silence every murmuring
thought. We are treated better than was our Lord. 'Seekest thou
great things for thyself? seek them not.' Jeremiah 45:5. The
Lord has no place in His work for those who have a greater
desire to win the crown than to bear the cross. He wants men
who are more intent upon doing their duty than upon receiving
their reward—men who are more solicitous for principle than
for promotion."—The
Ministry of Healing,
pp. 476, 477.
FURTHER STUDY
Christ's Object Lessons,
"The Reward of Grace," pp. 398,
399.
62
Model of Integrity
LESSON 7
Friday
May 13
Part 6
HE PAID THE
PRICE OF TRUTH
What reaction of many of Christ's followers to His teaching
revealed the high price that a man of integrity pays for truth?
"From that time many of his disciples went back, and
walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve,
Will ye also go away?" (John 6:66, 67).
After Jesus fed the 5000 men from a boy's lunch, the people
had all kinds of visions regarding this young rabbi who could
easily lead them in overthrowing the Roman yoke. They wanted
to make Him their king on the spot; they recognized His wisdom
and power as extraordinary, and they wanted to capitalize on
His abilities. Israel had at last found their Messiah. Jesus, with-
out question, had captured the attention and admiration of
Israel.
But a man of integrity prizes truth and duty above approval,
recognition, and peace: "Perceiving then that they were about
to come and take him by force to make him king, Jesus withdrew
again to the hills by himself" (John 6:15, RSV).
"Praise and flattery would be pleasing to their ears; but the
truth is unwelcome; they cannot hear it. When the crowds fol-
low, and the multitudes are fed, and the shouts of triumph are
heard, their voices are loud in praise; but when the searching of
God's Spirit reveals their sin, and bids them leave it, they turn
their backs upon the truth, and walk no more with Jesus."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 392.
THINK IT THROUGH
What would I do if friends and even loved ones threatened
to part company with me because of the truth?
"Jesus Himself never purchased peace by compromise. His
heart overflowed with love for the whole human race, but He
was never indulgent to their sins. He was too much their friend
to remain silent while they were pursuing a course that would
ruin their souls.. . . Real peace can never be secured by com-
promising principle. And no man can be true to principle with-
out exciting opposition.... Their [the true believers'] only fear
should be lest they surrender the truth, and thus betray the trust
with which God has honored them."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 356.
When God looks for leaders today, "they will be humble,
God-fearing men, not conservative, not policy men; but men
who have moral independence and will move forward in the fear
of the Lord. They will be kind, noble, courteous; yet they will not
be swayed from the right path, but will proclaim the truth in
righteousness whether men will hear or whether they will
forbear."—Testimonies,
vol. 5, p. 263.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 391-393.
63
LESSON 8 May 15 - 21
Model Teacher
"Learn from me" (Matt. 11:29, RSV).
If what Jesus said about Himself was
true.then we would expect that the
methods He used to gain acceptance
would be very important—especially
to those whom He commissioned to
represent Him. Jesus is surely the
master disciple winner, and His
methods of awakening interest,
convincing reasonable men and
women, and finally persuading them
to follow Him in every respect, are
surely the pattern for all modern
witnesses to His truth about life.
No wonder Ellen White said: "As the
. highest preparation for your work, I
point you to the words, the life, the
methods, of the'Prince of teachers. I
bid you consider Him. Here is your
true ideal. Behold it, dwell upon it,
until the Spirit of the divine Teacher
shall take possession of your heart and
life."—Education,
p. 282.
This week we shall study several
aspects of the Model Teacher. No
teacher can truly fulfill his role unless
his students can be convinced that he
practices what he teaches. Jesus was a
living illustration of the message He
taught.
The Model Teacher laid down the
basic principle of respect for the
individual. Does the teacher teach to
satisfy his ego and court recognition
for his intelligence? If so, although he
may be a very learned instructor, he
merely uses his students; he does not
respect them as of great consequence.
The Model Teacher saw in every
person, no matter how far down on
the social ladder, unlimited
possibilities if he or she would accept
His teachings. In fact, our Lord's
concern for people becomes very
obvious as we watch Him give respect
to Nicodemus, "the teacher of Israel,"
extend utmost courtesy to the
Samaritan woman, and demonstrate
warm consideration to the nobleman
(whose son He healed) or to the
helpless cripple at the pool. The first
consideration every genuine Christian
teacher must exhibit is respect for the
particular needs and capacities of
people.
Respect for the individual leads to
tactfulness and adaptability. The
Model Teacher made learning easy
because His listeners were disarmed
by His courtesies and fine perceptions
of human feelings. He did not intrude
abruptly into another's life. Knowing
that He had the most important
message in all the world, He yet
demonstrated amazing restraint, with
a keen sense of timing and the proper
thing to say or do.
But the Model Teacher knew more
than skillful social techniques and the
craft of public speaking—He knew His
message. Students, young and old,
have a way of discovering very soon
whether their teacher knows his
"subject" and enjoys teaching. Our
Lord's enthusiasm, His simplicity and
depth of thought, His clearness and
directness—all these characteristics
indicate a Teacher who had mastered
His subject and who wanted nothing
else in the world but to teach and
persuade others regarding the
greatness of His messages.
"Jesus saw in every soul one to
whom must be given the call to His
kingdom. He reached the hearts of the
people by going among them as one
who desired their good. He sought
them in the public streets, in private
houses, on the boats, in the
synagogue, by the shores of the lake,
and at the marriage feast. He met them
at their daily vocations, and
manifested an interest in their secular
affairs. He carried His instruction into
the household, bringing families in
Jesus communicated the truths
of eternal life in terms which were
clear and practical, made so by
illustrations drawn from the real life
of His audience.
their own homes under the influence
of His divine presence. His strong
personal sympathy helped to win
hearts. He often repaired to the
mountains for solitary prayer, but this
was a preparation for His labor among
men in active life. From these seasons
He came forth to relieve the sick, to
instruct the ignorant, and to break the
chains from the captives of
Satan."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 151.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
Himself the Illustration
(John 13:15)
2.
Each Person Important
(Luke 19:5)
3.
Involvement With Those He Taught
(1 John 1:2)
4.
Concentrated on Essentials
(Luke 4:32; John 7:46)
5.
Model Methods-1
(John 13:13)
6.
Model Methods-2
(Luke 5:1, 2)
Model Teacher
LESSON 8
Sunday
May 15
Part 1
What successful teaching method did Jesus use?
HIMSELF THE
ILLUSTRATION
"For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I
have done to you" (John 13:15).
Teachers should be living illustrations of what they profess. If
Jesus had not united words with life, He would not have been
long remembered. "What He taught, He lived.... Thus in His life,
Christ's words had perfect illustration and support. And more
than this; what He taught, He was. His words were the expres-
sion, not only of His own life experience, but of His own charac-
ter. Not only did He teach the truth, but He was the truth. It was
this that gave His teaching
power."—Education,
pp. 78, 79.
Truth is more than a system of belief. It is the basis of a way of
life and can be understood only through demonstration. This
demonstration makes Christianity's principles convincing.
"Christ came to demonstrate the value of the divine principles
by revealing their power for the regeneration of humanity. He
came to teach how these principles are to be developed and
applied."—Education,
p. 77.
As the modern followers of Jesus fulfill the gospel commis-
sion, what principles should guide their witness?
"We are to acknowledge His grace as made known through
the holy men of old; but that which will be most effectual is the
testimony of our own experience. We are witnesses for God as
we reveal in ourselves the working of a power that is divine.
Every individual has a life distinct from all others, and an experi-
ence differing essentially from theirs. God desires that our
praise shall ascend to Him, marked with our own individuality.
These precious acknowledgements to the praise of the glory of
His grace, when supported by a Christlike life, have an irresist-
ible power that works for the salvation of souls."—The
Ministry
of Healing,
p. 100.
THINK IT THROUGH
Am I hastening or delaying the return of Jesus by the man-
ner in which I demonstrate the principles of Christ's life?
"Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of
Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be
perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim
them as His
own."—Christ's Object Lessons,
p. 69.
FURTHER STUDY
The Acts of the Apostles,
pp. 22, 23.
66
Model Teacher
LESSON 8
Monday
May 16
Part 2
What occasion illustrates our Lord's continual concern for
EACH PERSON the individual and his special needs?
IMPORTANT
"When Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to
him, 'Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for I must stay
at your house today' " (Luke 19:5 RSV).
Jesus related to His followers in a manner much different
from that of many teachers since—He was interested in the
personal life and needs of each person who showed the
slightest interest in His message. Some, like Zacchaeus, have
been unable to meet at the usual gathering places, such as the
church or schools, because of geographical, social, or
economic problems. Many are passed by because they are timid
or lacking in self-respect. Jesus sought out men and women
one by one, and they responded to this personal consideration.
There is always the tendency for men and women to do Chris-
tian work "wholesale"; it is easier to lecture to a large group
than to encourage dialogue and feedback. "Retailing" the mes-
sage to people, one by one, is more difficult; but it is the surest
way to determine whether any learning is done.
"Everywhere there is a tendency to substitute the work of
organizations for individual effort. Human wisdom tends to
consolidation, to centralization, to the building up of great
churches and institutions. . . .
"Christ commits to His followers an individual work—a work
that cannot be done by proxy."—The
Ministry of Healing,
p. 147.
Jesus talked to the multitudes whenever there was an oppor-
tunity, but He got farther with the individual audience. "The
work of Christ was largely composed of personal interviews. He
had a faithful regard for the one-soul audience; and that one
soul has carried to thousands the intelligence received."
—Evangelism,
p. 58.
Even when Jesus talked to the multitudes, each person felt
that he was being addressed personally. "Even the crowd that
so often thronged His steps was not to Christ an indiscriminate
mass of human beings. He spoke directly to every mind and
appealed to every heart. He watched the faces of His hearers,
marked the lighting up of the countenance, the quick, respon-
sive glance, which told that truth had reached the soul."—
Education,
p. 231.
THINK IT THROUGH
Does my witnessing technique attempt to transform the life
more than to indoctrinate the head? In what ways may I need
to change my approach?
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 194, 195.
67
Model Teacher
LESSON 8
Tuesday
May 17
Part 3
By what steps were John and the other disciples led to
PERSONAL testify of Jesus?
INVOLVEMENT
'WITH THOSE
"The life was made manifest, and we saw it, and testify to it"
HE TAUGHT (1 John 1:2, RSV).
Christ's method of teaching His disciples furnishes us with
the most complete case study of how we should teach anyone
who needs to hear the gospel. "Through personal association
He impressed Himself upon these chosen colaborers. . . .
"Only by such communion—the communion of mind with
mind and heart with heart, of the human with the divine—can be
communicated that vitalizing energy which it is the work of true
education to impart. It is only life that begets
life."—Education,
p. 84.
One of the prerequisites for liking those who need what we
have to teach is to learn all we can about them. The more we
know about the hopes, fears, and burdens of others, the easier it
is to sympathize and identify. That was Christ's way. He knew
what was in man (see John 2:25), not only because He became
man, but also because He studied the needs and interests of His
contemporaries. "He taught in a way that made them feel the
completeness of His identification with their interests and
happiness."—The
Ministry of Healing,
p. 24.
The story of Peter can be told today only because Jesus never
gave up. Peter had so much to unlearn as well as to understand.
"Patiently, with discriminating love, the Saviour dealt with His
impetuous disciple, seeking to check his self-confidence, and
to teach him humility, obedience, and
trust."—Education,
p. 88.
The secret of great teachers and soul winners is that they
know how to awaken interest and inspire perseverance in indi-
vidual students. Massive supplies of knowledge dispensed
freely does not, in itself, guarantee great teaching or witness-
ing. More than dispensing mere information, Jesus awakened
the hidden potential in individuals, one by one.
THINK IT THROUGH
How can I better awaken excitement for learning the truth?
"In every human being He discerned infinite possibilities. He
saw men as they might be, transfigured by His grace.... Look-
ing upon them with hope, He inspired hope. Meeting them with
confidence, He inspired trust. Revealing in Himself man's true
ideal, He awakened, for its attainment, both desire and
faith."—Education,
p. 80.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 295-297.
68
Model Teacher
LESSON 8
Wednesday
May 18
68Part 4
What was the dramatic distinctiveness about our Lord's
CONCENTRATED teaching?
ON ESSENTIALS
"They were astonished at his teaching, for his word was
with authority" (Luke 4:32, RSV).
"No man ever spoke like this man!" (John 7:46, RSV).
Jesus had a freshness and power that only personal ex-
perience with the truth could give Him. Truth for Jesus was a
way of life, a life in right relationship with reality, seen and
unseen.
Instead of cold, formal lecturing about what men have said
regarding the great issues of life, Jesus taught His hearers to
behold God "as manifested in His works, in His word, and by
His providences. He brought their minds in contact with the
mind of the infinite."—Education, p. 81.
There is a vast difference in learning what men have said
about God and what God Himself has said. Too many think they
are learned when they know only what men and women have
said about God and life's biggest issues.
Our Lord's secret of power was that ','He said nothing to
gratify curiosity or to stimulate selfish ambition. He did not deal
in abstract theories, but in that which is essential to the de-
velopment of character; that which will enlarge man's capacity
for knowing God, and increase his power to do good. He spoke
of those truths that relate to the conduct of life and that unite
man with eternity."—Education, p. 81.
Another feature of Christ's teaching power was that He did
not minimize the common life and the responsibilities of hum-
ble tasks. "The things of this life He placed in their true relation,
as subordinate to those of eternal interest; but he did not ignore
-their importance."—Education, p. 82.
The fact that He spoke from personal experience, and not
from secondhand knowledge gained through studying the
opinions of men, gave Jesus a special ring of authority. The
learned men of His day spoke with scholarly doubt and hesita-
tion; but Jesus knew God and the Scriptures by His own in-
volvement and thus possessed a certainty of the divine origin of
the Bible.
THINK IT THROUGH
How can I speak with greater convincing power and author-
ity regarding truth and duty so that others find reason to
believe also?
Jesus developed confidence and insight regarding truth. He
is the pattern for all His followers. Through faith, truth can
become a reality for all.
FURTHER STUDY
The Ministry of Healing,
pp. 461, 462.
69
Model Teacher
LESSON 8
Thursday
May 19
Part 5
In what capacity did Jesus connect Himself with His disci-
MODEL METHODS-1 ples?
THINK IT THROUGH
"You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I
am" (John 13:13, RSV).
If there was no learning when Jesus taught, there would have
been no Christian church. The success of making the plan of
salvation known to the world depended on our Lord's effective
teaching methods.
The fact that the high and the low, the scholars and the
unlettered, young and old all heard Him gladly suggests that He
knew the art of adapting His messages to the various needs and
expectations of a great cross section of humanity. The great
secret of successful disciple makers is their versatility. Without
it, even a very learned person is terribly limited.
"His [our Lord's] messages of mercy were varied to suit His
audience. . . .
" ... The most highly educated were charmed with His words,
and the uneducated were always profited. He had a message for
the illiterate; and He made even the heathen to understand that
He had a message for them."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 254.
A hallmark of Christ's teaching methods was His effective use
of parables whereby He awakened incruiry. "He sought to
arouse the careless, and impress truth upon the heart. Parable
teaching was popular, and commanded the respect and atten-
tion, not only of the Jews, but of the people of other nations. No
more effective method of instruction could He have
employed."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
pp. 20, 21.
In using parables He was able to draw lessons from all walks
of life, thus capturing the interest of many different kinds of
hearers. Illustrations from nature also provided a fresh avenue
to learning. In His day as well as ours "too often the minds of
students are occupied with men's theories and speculations,
falsely called science and philosophy.... Let everything which
their eyes see or their hands handle be made a lesson in charac-
ter building."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
p. 25.
Illustrations for Christ were not merely attention devices but
also essential steps in the learning process: "The unknown was
illustrated by the known; divine truths by earthly things with
which the people were most familiar."—Christ's
Object Les-
sons,
p. 17.
In what ways can I lead others across the bridge from the
known to the unknown?
FURTHER STUDY
Christ's Object Lessons,
"Teaching in Parables," pp. 17-27.
70
Model Teacher
LESSON 8
Friday
May 20
Part 6
MODEL METHODS-2
THINK IT THROUGH
What experience, among others, suggests that Jesus'
method of teaching had great public appeal?
"And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him
to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,
and saw two ships standing by the lake" (Luke 5:1, 2).
An essential feature of an effective disciple maker is his voice.
The best of presentations can be adversely received and often
rejected because the voice is offensive to the hearer. "The
ability to speak plainly and clearly, in full, round tones, is invalu-
able in any line of work. . . . The truth must not be marred by
being communicated through defective utterance."—
Evangelism,
p. 665.
Ellen White learned that loud, rapid talking, with the voice
raised to an unnatural pitch, is not the way to represent our
Lord. "Christ was presented before me, and His manner of
talking; and there was a sweet melody in His voice. His voice, in
a slow, calm manner, reached those who listened, and His
words penetrated their hearts, and they were able to catch on to
what He said before the next sentence was spoken. Some seem
to think they must race right straight along or else they will lose
the inspiration and the people will lose the inspiration. If that is
inspiration, let them lose it, and the sooner the better."—
Evangelism,
p. 670.
A teacher's skill is also measured by his directness and
simplicity. "In Christ's teaching there is no long, far-fetched,
complicated reasoning. He comes right to the point."—
Evangelism,
p. 171.
The manner in which truth is given is just as important as the
content. "Jesus uttered truth in a plain, direct manner, giving
vital force and impressiveness to all His utterances."—
Evangelism,
p. 56.
Although Jesus knew that He spoke truth and that the well-
being of His hearers depended upon accepting and assimilating
His principles into their lives, He never coerced or intimidated
people into obedience. Think of His patience with Judas. In the
end, it was Judas who had to make up his own mind.
As I represent Jesus and pass on the good news of His
kingdom, what crude mannerisms of speech, dress, or lan-
guage do I retain that depreciate the quality of truth?
FURTHER STUDY
Education,
pp. 230, 231.
71
LESSON 9 May 22 - 28
Model of
Sociableness
"Jesus increased in wisdom and
stature, and in favour with God and
man" (Luke 2:52).
Somehow through the centuries an
unfortunate falsehood has infiltrated
the Christian church. It rears its
perverse head enough to confuse
serious people who indeed want to
follow in the footsteps of their Master.
The perversity: that religion made
Jesus gloomy.
Although there is no place in the
serious Christian's life for frivolity and
silly laughter, no one in the world has a
better right to be cheerful and to enjoy
innocent laughter. There is something
very chilling about people who do not
smile easily or who do not see the
humor in their own mistakes.
People are repelled by those who
have no sense of humor; Jesus was not
repulsive to anyone.
In
fact, there was
probably no one in all Palestine who
had a more varied list of friends. Think
of the scholar Nicodemus, the ruler of
the synagogue, the Roman centurion,
the Pharisees who sought His
company, the fishermen who became
His disciples, the publicans and
prostitutes who found hope and
self-respect through Him.
He attracted the high and low
because He was "highly social."
"Christ carried out in His life His own
divine teachings. His zeal never led
Him to become passionate. He
manifested consistency without
obstinacy, benevolence without
weakness, tenderness and sympathy
without sentimentalism. He was
highly social; yet He possessed a
reserved dignity that did not
encourage undue familiarity. His
temperance never led to bigotry or
austerity. He was not conformed to
this world; yet He was not indifferent
to the wants of the least among men.
He was awake to the needs of
all."—Evangelism, p.
636.
Think of the children who ran to His
waiting arms. Children do not
spontaneously gather around a
grouch. Their instincts cut through
pomp and phoniness; they
recognized this cheerful Man as their
friend.
In fact, He said that His followers
must become as little children if they
were to be fit to join His eternal
kingdom—unaffected, joyous,
trusting, laughing children!
Think of the verbal sparring
between Jesus and those who were
out to trap Him. How satisfying it must
have been to all concerned to see the
The ministry of Jesus was persua-
sive because He broke through so-
cial barriers and loved people of all
walks of life where they were—an
example of sociability.
carefully baited questions of the
scribes and Pharisees returned as
boomerangs by the insight of Jesus.
Something terrible happened to the
Christian church when the character
of Jesus was turned upside-down. To
prove their spirituality, men and
women hid themselves in monasteries
and convents, sat on poles for years,
beat themselves with whips, and wore
the most uncomfortable clothing.
Christianity was associated with
gloomy, forbidding attitudes.
Such perversion was .a ph enomenon
of the Dark Ages—an apt description;
but even today many have not caught a
vision of the real Jesus, our model of
how to relate to others. "There are
persons with a diseased imagination to
whom religion is a tyrant, ruling them
as with a rod of iron. Such are
constantly mourning over their
depravity and groaning over supposed
evil. Love does not exist in their
hearts; a frown is ever upon their
countenances. They are chilled by the
innocent laugh from the youth or from
anyone. They consider all recreation
or amusement a sin and think that the
mind must be constantly wrought up
to just such a stern, severe pitch."—
Testimonies, vol.
1, p. 565.
This week's lesson will focus on our
Lord's highly social nature that
opened doors everywhere. Nothing
else substitutes for the winsome
person showing the world that
Christianity brings cheer, joy, and
perceptive friendships.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
joy at the Wedding
(John 2:1, 2)
2.
Thirst for Recognition
(John 4:32, 34)
3.
An Interesting List of Friends
(Luke 5:29)
4.
Shared the Sorrows of His Friends
(John 11:35)
5.
Searching Admonitions-1
(Matt. 5:13)
6.
Searching Admonitions-2
(Matt. 5:14)
Model of Sociableness
LESSON 9
Sunday
May 22
Part 1
What social event did Jesus attend?
JOY AT THE
WEDDING
"There was a marriage at Cana in Galilee ... ; Jesus also
was invited to the marriage" (John 2:1, 2, RSV).
In spite of the distortions that have accumulated over the
years regarding our Lord, He was indeed a highly social person,
one that others wanted in their presence. They would not have
wanted Him around if He were not a great contributor to the joy
and pleasantness that men and women crave.
By His first miracle the proud parents of the bride were saved
from great embarrassment. For months, perhaps years, the
family had sacrificed, cutting living expenses to the minimum,
saving for that one social event in their family's life. But, unfore-
seen, the refreshments were depleted, and the dreams of the
happy parents crashed. But Mary leaned over to her Son, to that
one Person who always seemed to know what to do, and whis-
pered, "Son, the wine is gone." Sensitive, perceptive Jesus! "At
a household gathering in a little Galilean village His power was
put forth to add to the joy of a wedding feast. Thus He showed
His sympathy with men, and His desire to minister to their
happiness."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 144.
Do you think that there is a connection between this wed-
ding miracle and His life theme: "I am come that they might
have life, ... more abundantly" (John 10:10)?
It was not a great sermon by which Jesus set the pattern of
three years to follow. Nor was it a loving touch of His healing
hand. Rather it was the glorious intervention of a Man who tried
to show God's attitude toward life's happy moments. He saved a
family from embarrassment and a wedding reception from
breaking up. Could you imagine that He did it with a stern face
or a superior air of condescension?
THINK IT THROUGH
What special God-man characteristic do you see revealed
in our Lord's participation at the wedding feast?
"Jesus began the work of reformation by coming into close
sympathy with humanity. . . .
"Jesus reproved self-indulgence in all its forms, yet He was
social in His nature. He accepted the hospitality of all classes....
He gave no license to dissipation, and no shadow of worldly
levity marred His conduct; yet He found pleasure in scenes of
innocent happiness, and by His presence sanctioned the social
gathering."—The Desire of Ages,
pp. 150, 151.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 144-153.
74
Model of Sociableness
LESSON 9
Monday
May 23
Part 2
How important to Jesus was doing God's work for people?
THIRST FOR
RECOGNITION
"He said to them, 'I have food to eat of which you do not
know.... My food is to do the will of him who sent me, and to
accomplish his work" (John 4:32-34, RSV).
Meeting the Samaritan woman at Jacob's well revealed many
beautiful aspects of our Lord's humanity. The human inter-
change was not merely one-way. Jesus was hungry, thirsty, and
bone-weary. The water was near but inaccessible without a rope
and a jar. Jesus needed what the Samaritan woman could give
Him, and she needed what Jesus could give her—more than she
ever dreamed.
The exchange was more than mechanical courtesy. Jesus
could never do anything halfway or impersonally. He came
through to the woman as a very special kind of man—a gentle-
man, a tactful, considerate human being. As Jesus saw that she
appreciated His spiritual probing, He felt the freedom of open-
ing up her human potential. He rejoiced in her frankness and in
seeing her take the first sips of the water of life.
When the disciples returned from the village with the noon-
day lunch, they were surprised with their Master's verve and
happy contentment. What had made the difference, especially
without food? Jesus had eaten the food of doing God's work,
and a needy human being had responded to His invitation to
salvation. (See
The Desire of Ages,
p. 191.)
"Our Redeemer thirsts for recognition. He hungers for the
sympathy and love of those whom He has purchased with His
own blood."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 191.
What other occasions provided Jesus with spiritual and
social satisfactions? Luke 10:38-42.
To the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, Jesus often re-
turned, not only to provide spiritual growth but to be nurtured
socially by these wonderful people.
"At the home of Lazarus, Jesus had often found rest. The
Saviour had no home of His own; He was dependent on the
hospitality of His friends and disciples, and often, when weary,
thirsting for human fellowship, He had been glad to escape to
this peaceful household . . . .
"Our Saviour appreciated a quiet home and interested listen-
ers. He longed for human tenderness, courtesy, and
affection."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 524.
THINK IT THROUGH
While I try to fill the social needs of those around me, how
can I fulfill my social needs in harmony with Jesus' example?
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 190, 191.
75
Model of Sociableness
LESSON 9
Tuesday
May 24
Part 3
AN INTERESTING
LIST OF FRIENDS
THINK IT THROUGH
What social occasion demonstrated our Lord's ability to mix
with social classes other than His own?
"Levi made him a great feast in his house; and there was a
large company of tax collectors and others sitting at table with
them" (Luke 5:29, RSV).
Perhaps Jesus had the most varied and most interesting list of
friends in all Palestine. It seemed that everyone was stimulated
by His presence and conversation, even the Pharisees and
scribes who were immensely jealous of Him.
Sneering as they spoke, the Pharisees derided the disciples
for Christ's hearty social life, comparing Jesus with John the
Baptist. But our Lord's reply showed again His joyful heart:
"Can you make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is
with them?" (Luke 5:34, RSV). Bridegrooms are not known for
their sadness or gloomy looks. By life and words He was telling
the world that the kingdom of God belongs to the radiant-
hearted.
Although John the Baptist had his very special mission, "the
austerity and isolation of his life were not an example for the
people."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 150.
Jesus made it very clear that the badge of Christianity is that
of the social witness, not that of the ascetic. How tragically the
Christian church for centuries perverted the principle of love
and service! They emphasized the hermit principle, and cast a
cloud over the happy, involved spirit. They made self-imposed
discomfort and personal misery the proof of spirituality.
How energetic is my outreach to people, especially when I
note that it is through the social relations that Jesus dem-
onstrated what Christianity is all about?
"It is through the social relations that Christianity comes in
contact with the world. Every man or woman who has received
the divine illumination is to shed light on the dark pathway of
those who are unacquainted with the better way. Social power,
sanctified by the Spirit of Christ, must be improved in bringing
souls to the Saviour. Christ is not to be hid away in the heart as a
coveted treasure, sacred and sweet, to be enjoyed solely by the
possessor. We are to have Christ in us as a well of water,
springing up into everlasting life, refreshing all who come in
contact with us."—The
Ministry of Healing,
p. 496.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
p. 277.
76
Model of Sociableness
LESSON 9
Wednesday
May 25
Part 4
SHARED THE
SORROWS OF
HIS FRIENDS
What incident illustrated our Lord's identification with the
heartaches of His friends?
"Jesus wept" (John 11:35).
Jesus possessed an inner joythat radiated gladness wherever
He went. That does not mean that He always found something to
laugh about. A perpetual smile is totally unrealistic in this world
of misery and heartbreak. There are times when someone else's
sorrows are too much and the true friend weeps. Friends can be
made over common pleasures and interests; but the deepest,
closest friends are those who have cried together.
Lazarus was a special friend of Jesus, perhaps in a different
and closer relationship than any of the Twelve. To learn of his
death and the despair of his sisters touched Jesus deeply. He
not only identified with their sorrow, but also with every person
who has seen his loved ones slip into death.
He felt the human hurt caused by death. "In view of this
human distress, and of the fact that the afflicted friends could
mourn over the dead while the Saviour of the world stood
by—`Jesus wept.' Though He was the Son of God, yet He had
taken human nature upon Him, and He was moved by human
sorrow. His tender, pitying heart is ever awakened to sympathy
by suffering. He weeps with those that weep, and rejoices with
those that rejoice."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 533.
How did Jesus relate to the imprisonment of John the Bap-
tist? Matt. 11:4-9.
"The Saviour's heart went out in sympathy to the faithful
witness now buried in Herod's dungeon. He would not leave the
people to conclude that God had forsaken John, or that his faith
had failed in the day of trial."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 218.
THINK IT THROUGH
What kind of friend am I when my friends are dying or when
they have lost loved ones? To the elderly and friendless?
There is a difference
between
mechanically repeating Bible
promises to a soul whose heart is aching and sharing the human
hurt as Jesus did. Knowing that a friend truly cares when the
heart is heavy is perhaps the greatest therapy that a sorrowing
person can receive. This caring can be shown in many ways,
such as staying the night while the bereaved sleep, arranging
meals, and answering the phone. The need is more often for
quiet companionship than for conversation.
FURTHER STUDY
Selected Messages,
bk. 2, pp. 272, 273.
77
Model of Sociableness
LESSON 9
Thursday
May 26
Part 5
What penetrating analogy helps us to understand our social
SEARCHING mission?
ADMONITIONS-1
"Ye are the salt of the earth" (Matt. 5:13).
From earliest times salt has been used as a food preservative;
for the want of salt wars have been fought. In fact, salt was one
of the chief economic products of the ancient world; many of
the great highways of antiquity were built so that salt could be
made available to the cities.
Salt was so scarce, even in the time of Christ, that it was used
as money. Part of the wage of the Roman soldier was paid in
salt; in Latin, this payment of salt was called
salarium;
hence,
our English word, salary. When it is said that a person is "not
worth his salt," we conclude that he or she is not earning his
salary.
Jesus selected His analogy well, for salt is an indispensable
commodity. The spiritual lesson is obvious: Without the Chris-
tian in the world, corruption would be complete. "Were those
who served God removed from the earth, and His Spirit with-
drawn from among men, this world would be left to desolation
and destruction, the fruit of Satan's dominion. Though the
wicked know it not, they owe even the blessings of this life to the
presence, in the world, of. God's people whom they despise and
oppress. But if Christians are such in name only, they are like
the salt that has lost its savor. They have no influence for good in
the world. Through their misrepresentation of God they are
worse than unbelievers."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 306.
When Jesus compared His people with salt, He taught a prin-
ciple opposite to the hermit principle, that monstrous perver-
sion of His way of life. "When God calls His children salt, He
would teach them that His purpose in making them the subjects
of His grace is that they may become agents in saving others.
The object of God in choosing a people before all the world was
not only that He might adopt them as His sons and daughters,
but that through them the world might receive the grace that
bringeth salvation. Titus 2:11. . . .
"Salt must be mingled with the substance to which it is
added; it must penetrate and infuse in order to preserve. So it is
through personal contact and association that men are reached
by the saving power of the gospel."—
Thoughts From the Mount
of Blessing,
pp. 35, 36.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
p. 439.
78
Model of Sociableness
LESSON 9
Friday
May 27
Part 6
What phenomenon did Jesus use to describe the power and
SEARCHING blessing of the genuine Christian?
ADMONITIONS-2
"Ye are the light of the world" (Matt. 5:14).
THINK IT THROUGH
Light is a necessity of our existence. Without it there would be
no life on this planet. Even in modern technology light has some
very useful applications. For example, since the discovery of the
laser, a device to increase light intensity, a whole new world of
technology has been made possible in medicine, communica-
tion, and other fields.
But if light is to be useful, it has to be uncovered and permit-
ted to shine. Furthermore, light comes from a source of energy;
it is not self-generating. God makes Himself responsible for the
existence of light—His first act of creation. (See Gen. 1:3.)
The sad fact about human history is that although man did not
originate light, he is able to keep it from shining—at least for a
time. Ultimately, light will destroy the darkness; light has a way
of filtering through all the barriers men and women erect. No
matter how dark the room, it takes only the smallest crack and a
wisp of light for a person with normal vision to detect it.
Jesus compares His people to light; they are to make the
difference between life and death in the lives of others; they are
instruments of great power; they are healing agents in a very
sick, sad world.
"Jesus did not bid the disciples, 'Strive to
make
your light
shine;' He said,
'Let
it shine.' If Christ is dwelling in the heart, it is
impossible to conceal the light of His presence. If those who
profess to be followers of Christ are not the light of the world, it
is because the vital power has left them; if they have no light to
give, it is because they have no connection with the Source of
light."—Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,
p. 41.
What connection exists between being the light of the world
and hastening the advent?
FURTHER STUDY
Christ's Object Lessons,
"To Meet the Bridegroom," pp.
414-421.
79
LESSON 10 May 29 - June 4
Model of Faith
"Whatsoever is born of God
overcometh the world: and this is the
victory (hat overcometh the world,
even our faith" (1 John 5:4).
No greater commendation can be
given anyone than to have God say:
"Here are they that keep the
commandments of God, and the faith
of Jesus" (Rev. 14:12). Men and
women so described are no longer
rebels; they are comfortable with
God's way of life and delight to do His
will. Their friends know them as
generous and forbearing
as
well as
firm and disciplined; their names
stand for devotion to God,
unselfishness, integrity, and
reliability.
But without genuine faith there will
be no commendation, no character
witness, and no hastening of the
advent.
Faith is the key not only to
knowledge about God but to fulfilling
the will of God. Faith is the key to
becoming the kind of person whose
life imitates that of Jesus.
Such faith is more than a train of
ideas in the head; it is a disposition of
the heart. Genuine faith sees Jesus not
only as the perfect God clothed with
human flesh, but also as a child of
humanity who "partook of the same
nature" with us and "had to be made
like his brethren in every respect"
(Heb. 2:14, 17, RSV).
Genuine faith sees Jesus not only as
the Lord of heaven but as
his
Lord and
his
personal Saviour and
his
model of
faith. Men and women of faith see
Jesus as God's example of what He
wants them to be, not only to please
Him but so that such Christlike
characteristics as joy, health, integrity
may be theirs here and now. Jesus
becomes more than a lonely figure
"on a hill far away"; He becomes a
living, personal Friend who not only
demonstrated what men and women
can become but proves Himself able
to "save his people from their sins"
(Matt. 1:21) here and now.
Men and women watch Jesus saying
Yes to His heavenly Father; they see
Him act in harmony with the truths He
believes; they see His restful look into
the future even when the human eye
can see only disappointment. In each
of these ways He is their model.
Someday the last generation of
God's people (those who "keep the
commandments of God, and the faith
of Jesus") will demonstrate that •
biblical faith is more than a
high-sounding, emotionally packed •
word. They will declare in a clear,
undeniable life-style that faith is not
only an important element in the
Christian character but the
all-embracing factor that separates
nominal church members from
genuine Christians. Faith
distinguishes the wise from the foolish
virgins, the lazy from the diligent
servant, and the sheep from the goats.
(See Matthew 25.)
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
When Life Tumbles In
(Luke 8:24, 25)
2.
Wrought by Prayer
(Luke 11:1)
3.
Faith Recognizes Faith
(Mark 5:34)
4.
It Is Finished
(John 19:30)
5.
Grounded in Scripture
(Matt. 4:4)
6.
The Channel of God's Power
(John 11:41)
Faith is the key to becoming the kind
of person whose life reflects the life
of Jesus; as we know Him better, we
will become more like Him.
Model of Faith
LESSON 10
Sunday
May 29
Part 1
What terrifying experience became an opportunity for
WHEN LIFE Jesus to teach a lesson in genuine faith?
TUMBLES IN
"Master, we perish.... And he said unto them, Where is your
faith?" (Luke 8:24, 25).
The disciples were desperate as their Lord slept. Their best
efforts seemed hopeless; their boat tossed like a cork on the
turbulent Sea of Galilee. Awakened by their cry of panic, Jesus
stood in that tossing boat, raised His hand to the angry sea, and
commanded peace.
Although they expressed their gratitude and praise to Jesus, it
was evident that He was interested in something far more im-
portant: "Where is your faith?" Jesus, as a man among men,
was making a very important point to those journeying with
Him. He had rested in the stern of the boat, wrapped in peace,
without a trace of fear in His heart. But His peace rested in
faith—the same faith that all men may experience when they
trust in their heavenly Father's love and power.
The power that stilled the storm was not His own, but that of
His Father in heaven. How He reacted to peril was the way all
men may face difficulties—that way is the natural outworking of
the life of faith.
"As Jesus rested by faith in the Father's care, so we are to rest
in the care of our Saviour. If the disciples had trusted in Him,
they would have been kept in peace....
" ... Living faith in the Redeemer will smooth the sea of life,
and will deliver us from danger in the way that He knows to be
best."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 336.
He still reassures men and women when they fear that they
cannot be like Him. Any self-serving excuse that we cannot be
"like Him" this side of the resurrection receives His rebuke.
Such strange defeatism places a low estimate on His grace, a
low expectation on what He can do for His friends. If His grace
and example are to mean anything, He expects us to develop
lives of strength and victory, and not to spend the rest of our
lives in some kind of pious apology for failing to do what He says
can be done.
"Where is your faith?" This is the question that Jesus asks
those who are expecting the advent. Out of that group who
talk
about being ready, there will be a smaller group who will under-
stand our Lord's question and will possess His faith.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 334-336.
82
Model of Faith
LESSON 10
Monday
May 30
Part 2
"As he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one
WROUGHT of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray" (Luke
BY PRAYER 11:1).
"It was in hours of solitary prayer that Jesus in His earth life
received wisdom and power. Let the youth follow His example in
finding at dawn and twilight a quiet season for communion with
their Father in
heaven."—Education,
p. 259.
How necessary was prayer in our Lord's life? John 5:19.
Jesus overcame temptation, not by an inherent power pos-
sessed only by Him and not available to any other human being,
but by the continual grace given to Him from heaven.
"To the consecrated worker there is wonderful consolation in
the knowledge that even Christ during His life on earth sought
His Father daily for fresh supplies of needed grace; and from
this communion with God He went forth to strengthen and bless
others. Behold the Son of God bowed in prayer to His Father!
Though He is the Son of God, He strengthens His faith by prayer,
and by communion with heaven gathers to Himself power to
resist evil and to minister to the needs of men. . . His own
example is an assurance that earnest, persevering supplication
to God in faith—faith that leads to entire dependence upon God,
and unreserved consecration to His work—will avail to bring to
men the Holy Spirit's aid in the battle against sin."—The
Acts of
the Apostles,
p. 56.
THINK IT THROUGH
In what respects am I making my faith stronger and more
pure through my prayer life?
Prayer isthe channel through which we see God's plans for us
daily; this is more than a textbook understanding that the mind
alone knows. The reality of God's presence comes through
prayer; and "as a shield from temptation and an inspiration to
purity and truth, no other influence can equal the sense of God's
presence."—Education, p. 255.
Faith feeds on prayer, and prayer is made possible by faith.
"Prayer is a necessity; for it is the life of the
soul."—Education,
p. 258.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 362, 363.
83
Model of Faith
LESSON 10
Tuesday
May 31
Part 3
What passing incident became an opportunity for Jesus to
FAITH recognize and honor genuine faith?
RECOGNIZES
FAITH
"Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and
be healed of your disease" (Mark 5:34, RSV).
Out of the crowd one day a weary, suffering woman reached
her hand. She had spent all her means upon physicians and
medicines. However, this woman was different from most
others; she did not capitulate to circumstances but tried her
best to remain in charge of her life. In her heart she had re-
sponded to what she knew about Jesus; and now, this day, she
wanted no more than the opportunity to touch His garment.
But "in that one touch was concentrated the faith of her life,
and instantly her pain and feebleness gave place to the vigor of
perfect health."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 343.
The fact that a woman was healed was good news, but Jesus
was concerned about something even more important. He
wanted everyone to learn a lesson of faith, both the woman and
the crowd. "The Saviour could distinguish the touch of faith
from the casual contact of the careless throng"
(The Desire of
Ages,
p. 344), and He wanted all who saw the cure to know how it
happened—by faith and not by superstitious touch.
The touch of faith not only heals the body but also makes
possible a whole new emotional pattern and mental outlook.
The touch of faith kept Jesus Himself alert, fresh, patient, and
vigorous—and so it will be for those who follow His example.
Even as He trusted His heavenly Father for daily strength, so we
all must discover the ennobling power of living faith.
THINK IT THROUGH
What practical difference is there between belief and faith?
What makes a religious experience saving?
"To talk of religion in a casual way, to pray without soul
hunger and living faith, avails nothing. A nominal faith in Christ,
which accepts Him merely as the Saviour of the world, can never
bring healing to the soul. The faith that is unto salvation is not a
mere intellectual assent to the truth.... The only faith that will
benefit us is that which embraces Him as a personal Saviour;
which appropriates His merits to ourselves. Many hold faith as
an opinion. Saving faith is a transaction by which those who
receive Christ join themselves in covenant relation with God.
Genuine faith is life. A living faith means an increase of vigor, a
confiding trust, by which the soul becomes a conquering
power."—
The Desire of Ages,
p. 347.
FURTHER STUDY
The Ministry of Healing,
pp. 59-62.
84
Model of Faith
LESSON 10
Wednesday
June 1
Part 4
"He said, 'It is finished' " (John 19:30).
IT IS FINISHED
What do you think had been "finished" when Jesus died on
the cross?
Within the terrible darkness that shrouded Calvary, Jesus
showed the universe how unbowed and undefeated a human
being can be when all the evidence shouts the contrary. He had
no visible reasons for encouragement and was bereft of evi-
dence that His life had been a success. Such is the marvelous
power of living faith.
No other person will be asked to carry a burden as Jesus did
through Gethsemane and on the cross. However, many will
bear
seemi
ng defeat in the face of death—for all practical purposes,
failure. Our Lord's conquering faith made all the difference in
His life, and only by that same faith will hard-pressed men and.
women conquer. (See Rev. 3:21.)
"In those dreadful hours He had relied upon the evidence of
His Father's acceptance heretofore given Him. He was 'ac-
quainted with the character of His Father; He understood His
justice, His mercy, and His great love. By faith He rested in Him
whom it had ever been His joy to obey. And as in submission He
committed Himself to God, the sense of the loss of His Father's
favor was withdrawn. By faith, Christ was victor."—The
Desire
of Ages,
p. 756.
The cross ended Satan's claim to leadership in the eyes of the
unfallen worlds and loyal angels. It summed tip a remarkable life
that Satan said could not be lived on this earth; that life proved
that God still reigned, that His love and grace were sufficient to
keep a committed person from falling into sin.
"By His life and His death, Christ proved that God's justice did
not destroy His mercy, but that sin could be forgiven, and that
the law is righteous, and can be perfectly obeyed. Satan's
charges were refuted."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 762.
THINK IT
IT THROUGH
In what way is our Lord's victory of faith relevant to me?
Jesus was victorious because He was a man of faith. "Could
one sin have been found in Christ, had He in one particular
yielded to Satan to escape the terrible torture, the enemy of God
and man would have triumphed. Christ bowed His head and
died, but He held fast His faith and His submission to God."—
The Desire of Ages,
p. 761.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 758-764.
85
Model of Faith
LESSON 10
Thursday
June 2
Part 5
GROUNDED IN
SCRIPTURE
What experience of Jesus assures us that faith is built on a
person's grasp of Holy Scripture?
"He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by
bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the
mouth of God" (Matt. 4:4).
"Faith claims God's promises, and brings forth fruit in obedi-
ence.... Genuine faith has its foundations in the promises and
provisions of the Scriptures."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 126.
In the wilderness experience Jesus revealed His source of
trust and strength. From His earliest years the Bible had become
a personal voice to Him, assuring Him that the God of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob was His personal Friend also. "When we learn
the power of His word, we shall not follow the suggestions of
Satan in order to obtain food or to save our lives. Our only
questions will be, What is God's command? and what His prom-
ise? Knowing these, we shall obey the one, and trust the
other."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 121.
There is power in the Word of God. By accepting and as-
similating the principles of the Bible we are reaching out to
claim the power of God even as did the sick woman in the noisy
crowd.
THINK IT THROUGH
In what respect will last-day Christians go through an ex-
perience similar to our Lord's wilderness trial?
"Those who endeavor to obey all the commandments of God
will be opposed and derided. They can stand only in God. In
order to endure the trial before them, they must understand the
will of God as revealed in His word; they can honor Him only as
they have a right conception of His character, government, and
purposes, and act in accordance with them. None but those
who have fortified the mind with the truths of the Bible will stand
through the last great conflict."—The
Great Controversy,
pp.
593, 594.
"In order to have true, abiding faith in Christ, we must know
Him as He is represented in the word. Faith is trustful. It is not a
matter of fits and starts, according to the impulse and emotion
of the hour; but it is a principle that has its foundation in Jesus
Christ. And faith must be kept in constant exercise through the
diligent, persevering study of the word."
—Fundamentals of
Christian Education,
p. 433.
FURTHER STUDY
The Great Controversy,
pp. 597-602.
86
Model of Faith
Part 6
THE CHANNEL
OF GOD'S POWER
LESSON 10
Friday
June 3
What indication do we have that Jesus utilized no other
power on earth except that of faith when He performed mira-
cles?
THINK IT THROUGH
"Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me" (John 11:41).
Read verses 41-44.
In the raising of Lazarus, Jesus demonstrated that He was
acting in cooperation with His heavenly Father. He supplied the
faith, and the Father supplied the power. "Ever He had been
careful to make it evident that He did not work independently; it
was by faith and prayer that He wrought His miracles."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 536.
When Jesus depicted the beautiful analogy of the vine and its
branches, He was emphasizing the vital necessity of a living
connection between disciple and Lord. In
The Desire of Ages,
pages 674, 675 it is observed that He was also stating that as the
vine does not stand alone as the oak but needs a trellis for
support, so He "in His humanity was dependent upon divine
power. 'I can of Mine own self do nothing,' He declared. John
5:30."
How did Jesus compare His works with those His followers
would be able to do? John 14:12, 13.
"God was manifested in Him that He might be manifested in
them. Jesus revealed no qualities, and exercised no powers,
that men may not have through faith in Him. His perfect human-
ity is that which all His followers may possess, if they will be in
subjection to God as He was.
" . . . All who will go to work, trusting not in what they
themselves can do, but in what God can do for and through
them, will certainly realize the fulfillment of His promise.
'Greater works than these shall he do.'
"—The Desire of Ages,
pp. 664, 667.
If Christ's faith is to be ours, what keeps me from reaching
this possibility?
"As the Son of God lived by faith in the Father, so are we to live
by faith in Christ. So fully was Jesus surrendered to the will of
God that the Father alone appeared in His life. Although
tempted in all points like as we are, He stood before the world
untainted by the evil that surrounded Him. Thus we also are to
overcome as Christ overcame."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 389.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 388-391.
87
LESSON 11 June 5 - 11
Model of Humility
Jesus demonstrated, by stooping
down to serve others, that humility is
not a product of weakness, but of
love.
"The fear of the Lord is instruction in
wisdom, and humility goes before
honor."
Prov. 15:33, RSV.
Our Lord Jesus was the model of
humility. By instruction and example
He demonstrated the strength and
dignity of humility.
But the unconverted person will not
see dignity, strength, or power in
ht.
humility. To the contrary, he will
equate humility with weakness. Force,
prestige, fame, and material
possessions are the elements that
people seek when they crave honor.
But how fleeting are such values, how
truly empty!
The essence of humility is an honest
awareness of reality. The person who
realizes his insufficiencies while not
aware of God's willingness to supply
every need is not humble; he is merely
insecure and fearful. But the person
who is aware of his inadequacies and
has learned to trust the Lord
for his needs—and who acts
accordingly—will always be a truly
humble person.
"When we have true humility, we
have victory. The enemy never can
take out of the hand of Christ the one
who is simply trusting in His promises.
If the soul is trusting, and working
obediently, the mind is susceptible to
divine impressions, and the light of
God shines in, enlightening the
understanding. What privileges we
have in Christ Jesus!"—Ellen G. White
Comments,
SDA Bible Commentary,
vol.
7, p. 959.
In the lesson this week we shall not
only study Jesus as the model of
humility, but shall point out some of
the characteristics of false humility. A
whining tone, a self-deprecating
spirit, a shunning of responsibility—all
indicate that a person has
misunderstood the character of Jesus
and the joy of living life fully, to the
brim.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
Who Is the Greatest?-1
(Matt. 18:1)
2.
Who Is the Greatest?-2
(Matt. 18:4)
3.
Not With Outward Show
(Luke 17:20)
4.
Came to Serve
(Matt. 20:28)
5.
Given You an Example
(John 13:15)
6.
Happy Are Ye (John 13:17)
Model of Humility
LESSON 11
Sunday
June 5
Part 1
What question penetrates to the heart of the "great con-
WHO IS THE troversy"?
GREATEST?-1
"The disciples came to Jesus, saying, 'Who is the greatest
in the kingdom of heaven?' " (Matt. 18:1, RSV).
The days of Christ's ministry were drawing to a close, the
shadows of intrigue and doom were settling in. The disciples
misread the signals that Jesus was giving them, thinking that He
was about ready to set up His earthly kingdom. Their concern,
not for their Master's mission, but for their own honor led them
to argue among themselves over who was best qualified for the
various offices that would be needed. (See Luke 9:46.)
Surely it was disappointing to Jesus to note that the disciples,
at this late date, did not understand the.nature of His kingdom.
His answer was that of a great teacher knowing that his students
were not ready for a theological explanation. A principle, how-
ever, He did make clear; it is the crux of the "great controversy"
and the miserable heart of all human misunderstanding and
grief. (See Mark 9:35.)
"The strife for the highest place was the outworking of that
same spirit which was the beginning of the great controversy in
the worlds above, and which had brought Christ from heaven to
die.... Lucifer desired God's power, but not His character. He
sought for himself the highest place, and every being who is
actuated by his spirit will do the same. Thus alienation, discord,
and strife will be inevitable. Dominion becomes the prize of the
strongest. The kingdom of Satan is a kingdom of force; every
individual regards every other as an obstacle in the way of his
own advancement, or a steppingstone on which he himself may
climb to a higher place."—The
Desire of Ages,
pp. 435, 436.
THINK IT THROUGH
In what way may even church members today use Satan's
methods as they "do the Lord's work"?
"There can be no more conclusive evidence that we possess
the spirit of Satan than the disposition to hurt and destroy those
who do not appreciate our work, or who act contrary to our
ideas."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 487.
"While you are so eagerly striving to be first, remember that
you will be last in the favor of God if you fail to cherish a meek
and lowly spirit. Pride of heart will cause many to fail where they
might have made a
success."—Testimonies,
vol. 5, p. 50.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 435, 436.
90
Model of Humility
LESSON 11
Monday
June 6
Part
2
How did our Lord illustrate His answer regarding great-
WHO IS THE ness?
GREATEST?-2
"Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest
in the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 18:4, RSV).
The disciples needed more than instruction regarding the
kingdom of God—they needed "a change of heart that would
bring them into harmony with its principles."—The
Desire of
Ages,
p. 437.
When Jesus used a child as an example of the spirit and
attributes that would characterize those fit for His kingdom, He
took for granted that we would not look at the negative features
of spoiled children. His audience recognized His lesson without
difficulty, and so should we.
What do we see in young children (and older children who
grow up in the fear of God) that makes them so lovable and
irresistible? "The simplicity, the self-forgetfulness, and the con-
fiding love of a little child are the attributes that Heaven values.
These are the characteristics of real greatness."—The
Desire of
Ages,
p. 437.
Another aspect of healthy, properly nurtured children is their
"unreserved obedience"
(Christ's Object Lessons,
p. 125)
springing forth from simple trust in their parents and others.
Their love is pure, without design or measure. "To be great in
God's kingdom is to be a little child in humility, in simplicity of
faith, and in the purity of love. All pride must perish, all jealousy
be overcome, all ambition for supremacy be given up, and the
meekness and trust of the child be
encouraged."—Testimonies,
vol. 5, p. 130.
THINK IT THROUGH
What Bible characters are a model of greatness for us to
emulate faithfully?
"Before honor is humility. To fill a high place before men,
Heaven chooses the worker who, like John the Baptist, takes a
lowly place before God. The most childlike disciple is the most
efficient in labor for God. The heavenly intelligences can co-
operate with him who is seeking, not to exalt self, but to save
souls. He who feels most deeply his need of divine aid will plead
for it; and the Holy Spirit will give unto him glimpses of Jesus
that will strengthen and uplift the soul."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 436.
The Lord can be truly served only by those who desire first His
character before they want to prove by great feats or heights of
office that they have His power.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 437, 438.
91
Model of Humility
LESSON 11
Tuesday
June 7
Part 3
How did Jesus indicate the significant difference between
NOT WITH the power of His kingdom and that of worldly enterprises?
OUTWARD SHOW
"The kingdom of God cometh not with outward shew" (Luke
17:20, margin).
The Jewish mind had expected the Messiah to set up a king-
dom that would outshine, outpower, outdazzle that of Rome.
Although Jesus had been saying for three years that His king-
dom would not possess the trappings of earthly power, even at
this late hour His own disciples could not discern a power
principle that would perform its missionwithout worldly pomp.
Only after the resurrection did they begin to understand that
the glory of God is in self-sacrificing love, not in coercive power
or in pomp.
"It is as true now as in apostolic days, that without the illumi-
nation of the divine Spirit, humanity cannot discern the glory of
Christ. The truth and the work of God are unappreciated by a
world-loving and compromising Christianity. Not in the ways of
ease, of earthly honor or worldly conformity, are the followers of
the Master found. They are far in advance, in the paths of toil,
and humiliation, and reproach."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 508.
The kingdom of God and the ways of this world are in direct
confrontation. Humility and self-abnegation are not the
methods by which men and women seek success in business,
politics, or in any other line of work where they want the world's
attention.
"Now, as in Christ's day, the work of God's kingdom lies not
with those who are clamoring for recognition and support by
earthly rulers and human laws, but with those who are declaring
to the people in His name those spiritual truths that will work in
the receivers the experience of Paul: 'I am crucified with Christ:
nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me' Gal.
2:20."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 510.
THINK IT THROUGH
FURTHER STUDY
92
When I want to impress my friends regarding the truths of
my church, what methods do I normally choose?
It is very easy to fall into the trap of thinking that we will
convince worldlings that we have the "truth" if we can impress
them with the physical aspects of the church.
Christ's Object Lessons,
"The Sower Went Forth to Sow," pp.
34-36.
Model of Humility
LESSON 11
Wednesday
June 8
Part 4
In what terse terms did Jesus describe the single object of
CAME TO SERVE His life mission?
"The Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to
minister" (Matt. 20:28).
Our Lord's whole life was a living illustration of loving service.
Never before in the history of the world had there been such a
clear example of humble self-sacrifice. But the disciples had not
yet understood, although only a few days separated them from
the crucifixion.
The disciples had learned some of their lessons well, but the
elements needed most were lacking. Position, recognition,
honor still were motivating forces. They were still pressing their
arguments as to who was the greatest; they were using worldly
standards, placing their own estimates upon themselves and
upon one another.
What very ordinary circumstance provided Jesus with His
opportunity to show what godliness is like? John 13:4, 5.
The disciples knew that their feet should be washed after their
dusty journey, but their pride kept them from serving one
another. The action of Jesus opened the eyes of eleven of the
disciples to the greatness of humility.
THINK IT THROUGH
In what subtle ways do I express how proud I am of my
humility?
Humility has become a very elastic word, especially for Chris-
tians. It has been used to cover up sloth and negligence. When a
person avoids responsibility, pleading that others can do the
job better, the deference is often considered as humility. "To be
clothed with humility does not mean that we are to be dwarfs in
intellect, deficient in aspiration, and cowardly in our lives,
shunning burdens lest we fail to carry them successfully. Real
humility fulfills God's purposes by depending upon His
strength."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
p. 363.
Another perversion of humility is to feign humility by masking
pride. Think of the Pharisee and the publican. The Pharisee, and
the Laodicean in every age, look, walk, and pray self-praise,
although clothed with the appearance of humility. But "the lips
may express a poverty of soul that the heart does not acknowl-
edge. While speaking to God of poverty of spirit, the heart may
be swelling with the conceit of its own superior humility and
exalted righteousness."—
Christ's Object Lessons,
p. 159.
FURTHER STUDY
Christ's Object Lessons,
"Two Worshipers," pp. 150-163.
93
Model of Humility
LESSON 11
Thursday
June 9
Part 5
GIVEN YOU AN
EXAMPLE
How did Jesus link His earthly performance with that ex-
pected of His followers?
"I have given you an example, that you also should do as I
have done to you" (John 13:15, RSV).
Christ made it very clear that washing His disciples' feet did
not detract from His dignity. Humble service, rather than de-
tracting from greatness, actually establishes it. Jesus knew well
how subtle and self-serving the human heart is; He would not
leave His followers to define the meaning of humility. "Christ
Himself set the example of humility. . . .
" ...Jesus was given to stand at the head of humanity, that by
His example He might teach what it means to minister. His
whole life was under a law of service. He served all, ministerd to
all. Thus He lived the law of God, and by His example showed
how we are to obey it."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 649.
He demonstrated that in His kingdom "the principle of prefer-
ence and supremacy has no place. The only greatness is the
greatness of humility."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 650.
Jesus was doing more than demonstrating gracious hospital-
ity when He washed the feet of His companions; He was institut-
ing an ordinance of the Christian church which would be more
than a mere memorial of what He once did.
"This ordinance is Christ's appointed preparation for the
sacramental service. While pride, variance, and strife for
supremacy are cherished, the heart cannot enter into fellowship
with Christ. We are not prepared to receive the communion of
His body and His blood. Therefore it was that Jesus appointed
the memorial of His humiliation to be first observed."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 650
THINK IT THROUGH
In what way do I follow the ordinance of foot washing to
cleanse my soul from all self-exaltation and evil surmising?
One of the greatest services we can do for children is to teach
them that humility is the mark of true greatness.
"One of the characteristics that should be especially
cherished and cultivated in every child is that self-forgetfulness
which imparts to the life such an unconscious grace. . . .
"Children need appreciation, sympathy, and encouragement,
but care should be taken not to foster in them a love of praise....
He who looks higher than himself will be humble; yet he will
possess a dignity that is not abashed or disconcerted by out-
ward display or human greatness."—Education, p. 237.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 642-649.
94
Model of Humility
LESSON 11
Friday
June 10
Part 6
HAPPY ARE YE
THINK IT THROUGH
After Jesus washed the disciples' feet He said,
"If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them" (John
13:17).
Can anyone think of better reasons for happiness than to
remember the blessings of the Lord—His forgiveness, His prov-
idences, His promises for the future? Add to these the realiza-
tion that all is well between friends, neighbors, and church
members. Such happiness is grounded on the awareness of
one's own incapacities to do God's will by sheer willpower or to
please Him by human performance alone. The ordinance of foot
washing brings all this into sharp focus. The truly humble can
be the most willing servants of mankind, the most genuine
peacemakers, the clearest reflectors of Christ's happy spirit.
When the Christian leaves the foot-washing service and sits
around the table for the Lord's Supper, it is not a time for
sorrowing, with the record of failure depressing him. "The self-
examination, the confession of sin, the reconciling of differ-
ences, has all been done. Now they come to, meet with Christ.
They are not to stand in the shadow of the cross, but in its saving
light. They are to open the soul to the bright beams of the Sun of
Righteousness."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 659.
The truly humble person is the truly happy person. He is not
troubled as to whether he is getting all that he deserves; he is
not comparing himself enviously with those who have more
than he does. He counts his blessings gratefully, noting with
concerned sympathy those who are less fortunate.
Christians, like their Master, should be the happiest people
alive. Happiness is the by-product of unselfish ministry for
others. It is not found in the pursuit or acquirement of those
worldly goals by which others recognize human achievement.
Simply put: The only way to find happiness is to follow the
example of our Lord, a beautiful blend of dignity and humility.
Knowing that no one strives to be unhappy, on what do I
spend most of my time and energy? Will such goals bring
worldly recognition but not true happiness?
"Real happiness is found only in being good and doing good.
The purest, highest enjoyment comes to those who faithfully
fulfill their appointed duties."—My
Life Today,
p. 168.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 650, 651.
95
LESSON 12 June 12 - 18
Model of Love
"This is my commandment, That ye
love one another, as I have loved you"
(John 15:12).
At
first thought one would think that
everyone knows what love is and that
the only problem is that selfishness
keeps us from loving.
Before Jesus came, the idea of love
(as set forth in the New Testament) was
only dimly grasped, even by God's
people, and nowhere expressed
outside of Hebrew thought. Even
today the Grecian idea oflove prevails
over the startling concepts of the New
Testament.
For the Greek, the phrase, "God is
love," would have been
incomprehensible. Love, for the
Greek, is wrapped in desire; love
seeks that which it lacks and that
which will add to its comfort or
recognition. This is one reason why
the cross of Christ is foolishness to the
Greeks. (See 1 Cor. 1:18-25.)
True love had to be seen by men and
women before it could be
understood. Not until Jesus lived His
life of model love did the human mind
grasp the force and drawing power of
that love that "came to seek and to
save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10).
Love is not just one attribute of God
among many. God
is
love (1 John 4:8,
16); love is the very nature of God. We
discovered the height and depth of
this concept only through God's
revelation of Himself in Jesus, our
model.
When Jesus asks men and women to
love as He loved, is He asking the
impossible? The answer goes to the
heart of the great controversy. Lucifer
distrusted God, misread and
presumed upon God's love, and
thought that self-assertion was a
legitimate freedom. Instead of loving
his fellow angels, he began' to use
them for personal advantage; when
love went, so did honesty, openness,
and goodwill. Love no longer was
Lucifer's nature, and the tide of
suffering ever since has been the
result.
Jesus came to this earth without the
visible prerogatives of divinity. His
purpose was to show the wondering
universe, as well as men and women,
that love is not only possible but the
only way to live fully, happily,
winsomely.
The opposite of sin is the faith that
works through love (Gal. 5:6), just as
the opposite of death is life. When the
nature of men and women is
converted from selfishness
and self-assertiveness to genuine
love, then and only then are they fit
to live forever.
We are not talking about one
attribute among many but the
principle that begets all other
Christian graces. "The sanctification
of the soul by the working of the Holy
Spirit is the implanting of Christ's
nature in humanity. Gospel religion is
Christ in the life—a living, active
principle. It is the grace of Christ
revealed in character and wrought out
in good works. The principles of the
gospel cannot be disconnected from
any department of practical life. Every
line of Christian experience and labor
is to be a representation of the life of
Christ.
"Love is the basis of godliness."
—Christ's Object Lessons,
p. 384.
Our Model is not merely an example
which beckons us on but is never to be
reached. Jesus lived a life of love in
human flesh. That demonstration of
love is what He expects His followers
to reveal to the world as His last
invitation of mercy. "There is nothing
that Christ desires so much as agents
who will represent to the world His
Spirit and character. There is nothing
that the world needs so much as the
manifestation through humanity of
the Saviour's love. All heaven is
waiting for channels through which
can be poured the holy oil to be a joy
and blessing to human hearts."
—Christ's Object Lessons,
p. 419.
How long are we going to keep Jesus
waiting?
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
Harmless as Doves
(Matt. 10:16)
2.
Fulfilling the Law-1
(Rom. 13:8)
3.
Fulfilling the Law-2
(Luke 10:37)
4.
Love Unrequited
(Matt. 23:37)
5.
The Good Shepherd
(John 10:11)
6.
Active Love Instead of Passive
Justice
(Matt. 7:12)
The cross of Jesus is ever contem-
porary; His gift of self-sacrifice for
humanity is an example to all believ-
ers, a challenge to give of ourselves
in love.
Model of Love
LESSON 12
Sunday
June 12
Part 1
What interesting comparison did Jesus make when He in-
HARMLESS AS structed His disciples regarding the spirit that should mark His
DOVES true followers?
"Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves"
(Matt. 10:16).
Truth must be made clear; it must make its way in an arena
often preoccupied by either gross evil or sinister, devious coun-
terfeits. But truth cannot be proclaimed by force or hate. Such
methods and spirit cannot abide in the makeup of a person who
understands truth. Truth will make its way, not only because its
content is irrefutable, but also because its spirit is disarming to
those who honestly seek truth.
"Christ Himself did not suppress one word of truth, but He
spoke it always in love. He exercised the greatest tact, and
thoughtful, kind attention in His intercourse with the people. He
was never rude, never needlessly spoke a severe word, never
gave needless pain to a sensitive soul. He did not censure
human weakness. He fearlessly denounced hypocrisy, unbelief,
and iniquity, but tears were in His voice as He uttered His
scathing rebukes.... While He always bore Himself with divine
dignity, He bowed with tenderest regard to every member of the
family of God."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 353.
To represent Jesus is more than to recite His words; it means
to "re-present" Him in flesh and blood. Therefore, His followers
"need to have close communion with God, lest, under provoca-
tion, self rise up, and they pour forth a torrent of words that are
unbefitting.... This is what Satan wants them to do; for these
are his methods. It is the dragon that is wroth; it is the spirit of
Satan that is revealed in anger and accusing. But God's ser-
vants are to be representatives of Him.... Then they can present
the gospel with divine tact and gentleness. And the spirit that is
kept gentle under provocation will speak more effectively in
favor of the truth than will any argument, however forcible."—
The Desire of Ages,
p. 353.
The spirit of the church member is more important than his
message in attracting others to stop long enough to hear him
out. Of Jesus we read: "The beauty of His countenance, the
loveliness of His character, above all, the love expressed in look
and tone, drew to Him all who were not hardened in unbelief.
Had it not been for the sweet, sympathetic spirit that shone out
in every look and word, He would not have attracted the large
congregations that He did."
—The Desire of Ages,
p. 254.
FURTHER STUDY
Testimonies,
vol. 9, pp. 235, 236.
98
Model of Love
LESSON 12
Monday
June 13
Part 2
How did Paul summarize obedience to the law of God?
FULFILLING THE
LAW-1
"Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he
who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law" (Rom.13:8, RSV).
This simple truth—"love is the fulfilling of the law" (Rom.
13:10)—has been very hard for even Christians to grasp. Chris-
tians have come up with endless procedures, duties, rules, and
standards in order to establish grounds for spiritual security—
but there is only one test that all who will be finally saved will
have to pass. Did they love genuinely, freely, and spontane-
ously? (See
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 637-641.)
In what real-life story did Jesus illustrate the principle of
love? Luke 10:23-37.
"In the story of the good Samaritan, Christ illustrates the
nature of true religion. He shows that it consists not in systems,
creeds, or rites, but in the performance of loving deeds, in
bringing the greatest good to others, in genuine goodness."—
The Desire of Ages,
p. 497.
The love here described is far different from the diluted con-
cepts that so often pass for love. Christian love is not a good
feeling only, not an impulsive gesture of goodwill, not an at-
titude prompted by the attractive qualities of someone else.
Genuine love is a principle, not a feeling; it is the fundamental
principle of the universe, "the law of life for earth and heaven."
—The Desire of Ages,
p. 20.
The difference between earthly love and Christian love is that
the former is manifested toward the lovely, toward that which
will benefit the lover while the latter "seeketh not her own" and
even loves the unlovable. That kind of love was clearly man-
ifested in the mission of the God-man, Jesus Christ, who died
for us while we were yet sinners. (See Rom. 5:8.)
THINK IT THROUGH
Are people and their needs more important to me than
anything else in this world?
"When love fills the heart, it will flow out to others, not be-
cause of favors received from them, but because love is the
principle of action. Love modifies the character, governs the
impulses, subdues enmity, and ennobles the affections."—
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,
p. 38.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 497-503.
99
Model of Love
LESSON 12
Tuesday
June 14
Part 3
How did Jesus make clear that righteous living is on the
FULFILLING THE level of being and doing rather than merely in knowing about
LAW-2 righteousness?
"Then Jesus said unto him, Go, and do thou likewise" (Luke
10:37).
"The lawyer found himself a lawbreaker. He was convicted
under Christ's searching words. The righteousness of the law,
which he claimed to understand, he had not practiced. He had
not manifested love toward his fellow man."—The
Desire of
Ages,
p. 498.
"The Samaritan had obeyed the dictates of a kind and loving
heart, and in this had proved himself a doer of the law."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 504.
Something very fundamental about the quality of life is being
taught in the story of the Good Samaritan. The lesson was
emphasized in the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus reminds
us that "not every one who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter
the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father"
(Matt. 7:21, RSV), and also in that sobering story of the judg-
ment (Matt. 25:31-46) where Christ "represented its decision as
turning upon one point. When the nations are gathered before
Him, there will be but two classes, and their eternal destiny will
be determined by what they have done or have neglected to do
for Him in the person of the poor and the suffering."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 637.
Faith in Jesus means more than most now understand and, in
the judgment, it will be too late to learn. "The faith in Christ
which saves the soul is not what it is represented to be by many.
... Belief that does not lead to obedience is presumption....
"Obedience is the test of discipleship. It is the keeping of the
commandments that proves the sincerity of our professions of
love. . . . When benevolence, kindness, tenderheartedness,
sympathy, are manifested in our lives; when the joy of right
doing is in our hearts; when we exalt Christ, and not self, we may
know that our faith is of the right
order."—Thoughts From the
Mount of Blessing,
pp. 146, 147.
THINK IT THROUGH
Is genuine love something that I can plot and schedule or is
it a principle that controls me and directs my life, often in
unforeseen times and places?
Genuine love is spontaneous, impartial, and costs time,
energy, and resources, without any thought of repayment.
FURTHER STUDY
Christ's Object Lessons,
"Who Is My Neighbor?" pp. 380-389.
100
Model of Love
LESSON 12
Wednesday
June 15
Part 4
How did Jesus make clear that love does not always
LOVE UNREQUITED awaken love?
THINK IT THROUGH
"How often would I have gathered your children together as
a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not!"
(Matt. 23:37, RSV).
Jesus early in His life discovered the sting and heaviness. of
misunderstood, unrequited love—from his brothers, neighbors,
and church leaders. In His ministry He experienced it too.
"With a yearning heart, Jesus saw those who had been His
disciples departing from Him, the Life and the Light of men. The
consciousness that His compassion was unappreciated, His
love unrequited, His mercy slighted, His salvation rejected,
filled Him with sorrow that was inexpressible."—The
Desire of
Ages,
p. 393.
Anyone who desires to become like their model of love will
also experience similar pain. Parents because of Christlike love
will sense their duty to speak firmly to erring children—and
children will turn against them as surely as close disciples
turned from Jesus. ,Love does not always bring peace; often it
brings the sword of unrequited love.
From His farewell to Jerusalem, what do we learn about our
Lord's quality of life? Luke 19:41, 42.
Not easy was it forJesus to recognize unrequited love. "Jesus
raised His hand,—that had so often blessed the sick and
suffering,—and waving it toward the doomed city, in broken
utterances of grief exclaimed: 'if thou hadst known, even
thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy
peace!'
"—The Desire of Ages,
p.576.
However, in His last visit to the temple, during the mysterious
farewell of long-suffering love, Jesus showed us how to man-
ifest love in the face of hate and unconcern. "Keen and search-
ing had been His denunciation of sin; but He spoke no word of
retaliation. He had a holy wrath against the prince of darkness;
but He manifested no irritated temper.... Even in meeting those
who are moved by a power from beneath to maintain falsehood,
in Christ he [the Christian] will still preserve calmness and
self-possession."—The
Desire of Ages,
pp. 619, 620.
Is it possible that some people refuse to get involved with
the need of others because they do not want to suffer the pain
of rejected love?
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 575-578.
101
Model of Love
LESSON 12
Thursday
June 16
Part 5
THE GOOD
SHEPHERD
With what scene did Jesus illustrate the power and scope of
genuine love?
"I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life
for the sheep" (John 10:11).
Especially for His hearers this picture of Jesus as a good
shepherd summed up all those qualities of thoughtfulness and
protection that were needed by any helpless and dependent
flock of sheep.
Whatever we say about Jesus in regard to the special qualities
of a good shepherd applies equally well to those who are called
to be His undershepherds—all His followers who have heard his
"Come." We are not called only to receive His blessings but to
be relay stations of these blessings as we convert them into our
own life-style and appealingly draw others unto us.
Sheep we are—helpless, dependent when on our own. To
recognize this is to begin to receive the blessings granted to
those who are "poor in spirit" (Matt. 5:3). But love sent the
Shepherd looking for us, not because we were lovable, but in
order that He might make us lovable and so, hopefully, eventu-
ally worth the effort.
As our Good Shepherd, He knows us by name; we were made
to hear and respond to His voice. Though He may be millions of
light-years away from us at the throne of the universe, through
His Spirit He is just as near as He was to Mary or Peter when they
knew Him. "And they shall never perish, neither shall any man
pluck them out of my hand" (John 10:28).
THINK IT THROUGH
How can selfishness or love be measured?
If I love only when convenient or when I am appreciated, is
that any more than a pagan would do? The Pharisees scolded
sinners and heaped scorn upon those who did not accept their
brand of religion. Yes, they had their hand of fellowship out—
they were known as proselytizers around the world; but was it
the hand of the Good Shepherd, extended from the tender,
loving heart?
"How many of the wandering ones have you, reader, sought
for and brought back to the fold? When you turn from those who
seem unpromising and unattractive, do you realize that you are
neglecting the souls for whom Christ is seeking? At the very
time when you turn from them, they may be in the greatest need
of your compassion."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
p. 191.
FURTHER STUDY
Christ's Object Lessons,
"The Lost Sheep," pp. 185-192.
102
Model of Love
LESSON 12
Friday
June 17
Part 6
What basic principle of love has been called the golden
ACTIVE LOVE rule?
INSTEAD OF
PASSIVE JUSTICE
"Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should
do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the
prophets" (Matt. 7:12).
Simply stated, this principle of the golden rule is "Christ's rule
of life, by which everyone of us must stand or fall in the
judgment."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 640.
For centuries the leading moralists emphasized the negative
golden rule; that is, "What is distasteful to yourself, do not to
your neighbor; that is the whole law, the rest is but commen-
tary." But that was only passive justice; Jesus poured love over
justice and turned the negative golden rule into its positive
principle.
Embedded in this golden rule is the implicit thought that the
Christian knows much that the unconverted do not know. The
Christian should in imagination place himself where the uncon-
verted are. Knowing what Jesus has taught him, the Christian
would be compelled by the golden rule to do unto others what
he would want them to do for him—if the other person did not
know the truth about God.
THINK IT THROUGH
In what respect is love the sum of all virtues and not just one
among many?
"Love is the basis of godliness. Whatever the profession, no
man has pure love to God unless he has unselfish love for his
brother. . . . When self is merged in Christ, love springs forth
spontaneously. The completeness of Christian character is at-
tained when the impulse to help and bless others springs con-
stantly from within—when the sunshine of heaven fills the heart
and is revealed in the countenance."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
p. 384.
Christlike love is not only a benefit to others. If so, it could
easily be perverted into a varying measure of spirituality
whereby we can be proud of our obvious "self-lessness." True
love cannot be turned on and off according to the cir-
cumstances; it is the outworking of sanctification.
"Love for Him will give vital force to everything that is under-
taken. Thus through the right use of our talents, we may link
ourselves by a golden chain to the higher world. This is true
sanctification; for sanctification consists in the cheerful per-
formance of daily duties in perfect obedience to the will of
God."—Christ's Object Lessons,
p. 360.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 503-505.
103
LESSON 13 lune 19 - 25
The Model Waitins
"Seeing then that all these things
shall be dissolved, what manner of
persons ought ye to be in all holy
conversation and godliness, looking
for and hasting unto the coming of the
day of God, wherein the heavens
being on fire shall be dissolved, and
the elements shall melt with fervent
heat" (2 Peter 3:11, 12).
Seventh-day Adventists believe that
God wants to dispose of the sin
problem as fast as possible. He hates
sin for what it does to people. He
grieves when time lingers late in the
twentieth century unnecessarily,
allowing for more heartbreak,
disillusionment, pain, and horror on
this troubled planet. He is pained
when you hurt, either as the result of
your own folly, or as a victim of
someone else's mistake.
:o Be Reproduced
Adventists also believe that God will
bring an end to the sin problem at the
second coming of Jesus, and that this
momentous event has been delayed
not because God has changed His plan
but because His followers have not yet
fulfilled His plan. When God disposes
of the sin problem, there will be no
questions left regarding right and
wrong, or why it is always best to trust
and obey the Lord of the universe.
The evidence that vindicates God
will not be a matter of mere reason. It
rests in the living demonstration of
men and women who prove that
God's way is best, that His will
expressed in commandments and
counsel throughout the Bible
produces the happiest, pleasantest,
healthiest, most trustworthy people
on Planet Earth.
Becoming more like Jesus is our
goal as disciples, the focus of our
development until that day when His
image is fully reproduced in us.
For this demonstration God waits.
The world has been in a holding
pattern, a suspended countdown, for
a century. Several statements were
made by Ellen G. White in the 1880s
that noted the delay in the advent
at
that time,
emphasizing that Jesus
could have returned "years ago." The
primary concern of Seventh-day
Adventists is that men and women
everywhere become aware of the
urgency of time, that God is ready to
complete His plan for man's
redemption in our day, and that each
person's reaction to God's last
invitation to join His family seals his
eternal destiny.
We are living in that time when the
world needs a very clear
demonstration of God's will for men
and women, of His grace and love by
which men and women can be
changed into the likeness of their
Lord.
More than an individual effort here
and there, this last-day demonstration
will be a significant social impact of a
worldwide movement. It will be a
revelation of what happens when truth
settles deeply and comfortably into a
person's life-style, vindicating the
wisdom of God in waiting for this
generation to mature.
DAILY HIGHLIGHTS
1.
The Faith of Jesus
(Rev. 14:12)
2.
The Harvest Principle-1
(Mark 4:29)
3.
The Harvest Principle-2
(Rev. 14:15, 16)
4.
Bear Much Fruit
(John 15:8)
5.
Even as He Overcame
(Rev. 3:21)
6.
Christ's Representatives
(John 17:18)
The Model Waiting to Be Reproduced
LESSON 13
Sunday
June 19
Part 1
What characteristics will set apart God's people in the last
THE FAITH OF generation?
JESUS
"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep
the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus" (Rev.
14:12).
In that awesome fourteenth chapter of Revelation, Jesus out-
lined to John the earthshaking events that would characterize
the generation just preceding the second advent. The world will
be brought to decision by God Himself working through His
church, specifically those who "keep the commandments of
God, and the faith of Jesus."
The separation and the line of demarcation will become obvi-
ous; philosophies, theologies, and life-styles will be judged on
one basis—how faithfully is the character of Jesus being repro-
duced!.
Abundant are the references in the writings of Ellen G. White
that describe the harvest of the seeds of gospel truth. When
these shall be in full display, they will contrast with the full-
grown characteristics of those who have rejected the intent and
power of the gospel.
"The life of Christ on earth was a perfect expression of God's
law, and when those who claim to be children of God become
Christlike in character, they will be obedient to God's com-
mandments. Then the Lord can trust them to be of the number
who shall compose the family of
heaven."—Christ's Object Les-
sons,
p. 315.
What is the connection between commandment keeping
and the faith of Jesus?
"In order to be prepared for the judgment, it is necessary that
men should keep the law of God. That law will be the standard of
character in the judgment.... Faith is essential in order to the
keeping of the law of God; for 'without faith it is impossible to
please Him.' And 'whatsoever is not of faith is sin.'
"—The Great
Controversy,
p. 436.
THINK IT THROUGH
What relation is there between the character of Jesus and
the faith of Jesus?
Jesus overcame temptation the same way we must—by faith,
by that trusting, obedient relationship with the Father that says
Yes to whatever God says is best. The faith of Jesus developed
the character of Jesus. Such will be the experience of His
people in the last days.
FURTHER STUDY
The Great Controversy,
pp. 483-491.
106
The Model Waiting to Be Reproduced
LESSON 13
Monday
June 20
Part 2
THE HARVEST
PRINCIPLE-1
How did Jesus describe the condition that would determine
the end of the world?
"When the grain is ripe, at once he puts in the sickle, be-
cause the harvest has come" (Mark 4:29, RSV).
Here Jesus refers to the harvest principle that is employed
often in the Scriptures when the unfolding of God's purposes
are described. The harvest principle helps explain why the day
and hour of Christ's return cannot be predicted and what it is for
which our Lord yet waits.
Jesus chose to compare the end of this world to a farmer's
harvest, because He knew that men everywhere understand, to
some degree, the hopes and problems connected with harvest-
ing a field of wheat or tomatoes in a backyard garden. He
compared the focal point of the plan of salvation to an earthly
harvest.
In what ways are the goals of the kingdom of God and a
farmer's field of grain the same?
Neither is ready to harvest unless the grain has matured. Even
as the farmer waits for his grain to mature, so Jesus waits until
the gospel seed has produced a sizable and significant group of
mature Christians.
Developing this biblical concept of the harvest principle,
Ellen White wrote: "The object of the husbandman in the sow-
ing of the seed and the culture of the growing plant is the
production of grain.... So the divine Husbandman looks for a
harvest as the reward of His labor and sacrifice. Christ is seek-
ing to reproduce Himself in the hearts of men: and He does this
through those who believe in Him. The object of the Christian
life is fruit bearing—the reproduction of Christ's character in
the believer, that it may be reproduced in others."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
p. 67.
THINK IT THROUGH
In view of the truth stated above, what am I personally doing
to hasten or delay His return?
Ellen White comments on the biblical principle of the harvest:
"Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of
Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be
perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim
them as His
own."—Christ's Object Lessons,
p. 69.
FURTHER STUDY
Christ's Object Lessons, "First
the Blade, Then the Ear," pp.
62-69.
107
The Model Waiting to Be Reproduced
LESSON 13
Tuesday
June 21
Part 3
How did Jesus, through John the revelator, describe the
THE HARVEST fulfillment of the harvest principle?
PRINCIPLE-2
"Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee
to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on
the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was
reaped" (Rev. 14:15, 16).
Sadly, while the power of God is maturing Christlike charac-
ters, there is the parallel development of maturing sinners,
symbolized elsewhere by the tares. The last days will give evi-
dence, not only of what the power of God can do for men and
women, but also of what unrestrained self-indulgence and hate
will do. The exhibit of a world of greedy, thoughtless, violent
men and women will stand in stark contrast with those who
stand for integrity, peace, and hope. The harvest for which
Jesus waits will separate the end products of faith and of sin—
commandment keepers who reflect Christ's character from
those who have fully developed the characteristics of the beast
and his image.
The purpose of the divine Husbandman is to have the divine
seed—the principles of the gospel—bear fruit. The goal of the
divine seed sowing is to reproduce men and women like Jesus.
Such a goal is not visionary; it is the crowning glory of God's
love and grace and that for which all Heaven waits.
"By revealing in our own life the character of Christ we co-
operate with Him in the work of saving souls. It is only by
revealing in our life His character that we can co-operate with
Him. And the wider the sphere of our influence, the more good
we may do. When those who profess to serve God follow
Christ's example, practicing the principles of the law in their
daily life; when every act bears witness that they love God
supremely and their neighbor as themselves, then will the
church have power to move the
world."—Christ's Object Les-
sons,
p. 340.
THINK IT THROUGH
In what way does Jesus become my model during this time
that could be that of the last generation?
Someday a generation of advent-oriented Christians will rec-
ognize that God waits for a people about whom He can proudly
say, "Here they are; everyone look at them carefully. Do you
want what they have? Do you want your children to grow up like
theirs? Do you want their happiness and hope? If you do, then
you must know their secret. They keep My commandments, and
they have a faith like Jesus had."
FURTHER STUDY
Christ's Object Lessons,
"Without a Wedding Garment," pp.
314-319.
108
The Model Waiting to Be Reproduced
LESSON 130
Wednesday
June 22
Part 4
How did Jesus connect character development and the
BEAR MUCH FRUIT glory of God?
THINK IT THROUGH
"By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and
so prove to be my disciples" (John 15:8, RSV).
Sin is not only distrust and disobedience; it is also robbery. It
misappropriates that which belongs to God; it is a theft that
builds up a kingdom over against the kingdom of God. Sin
matures a character that is in stark contrast with the self-
sacrificing character of God.
One of the reasons why Jesus came to earth was to give men
and women a model of what the truly human 'Was like; He
showed us that the sanctified life simply means that God has full
ownership—mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually. The
rebel misuses and defaces God's original property; but the loyal
Christian will reflect the glory of God's kingdom.
"All who receive Christ as a personal Saviour are to dem-
onstrate the truth of the gospel and its saving power upon the
life.... All the riches of heaven are to be revealed through God's
people."—Christ's Object Lessons,
p. 301.
Reflecting or glorifying Christ is to be the sole goal of Chris-
tianity, just as reflecting or glorifying the Father was the sole
goal of our Lord's life.
True Christians will reflect the character of God; and God
will be vindicated in the great controversy. What is the rela-
tionship between these two truths?
"Of the Spirit Jesus said, 'He shall glorify Me.' The Saviour
came to glorify the Father by the demonstration of His love; so
the Spirit was to glorify Christ by revealing His grace to the
world. The very image of God is to be reproduced in humanity.
The honor of God, the honor of Christ, is involved in the perfec-
tion of the character of His people."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 671.
No other concept is more thrilling or more sobering than this:
The plan of salvation, as well as the time for the second advent,
depends upon the quality of glory that Christians reflect. "In His
people He is glorified. Through them the Sun of Righteousness
will shine in undimmed luster to the world.... He has bestowed
upon His people capabilities and blessings that they may repre-
sent His own sufficiency. The church, endowed with the righ-
teousness of Christ, is His depositary, in which the riches of His
mercy, His grace, and His love, are to appear in full and final
display."—The
Desire of Ages,
p. 680.
FURTHER STUDY
The Acts of the Apostles,
pp. 9-16.
109
The Model Waiting to Be Reproduced
LESSON 13
Thursday
June 23
Part 5
How closely are we to copy the Model Man?
EVEN AS HE
OVERCAME
"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my
throne, even as I also overcame" (Rev. 3:21).
"These are the words of our Substitute and Surety. He who is
the divine Head of the church, the mightiest of conquerors,
would point His followers to His life, His toils, His self-denials,
His struggles and sufferings, through contempt, through rejec-
tion, ridicule, scorn, insult, mockery, falsehood, up the path of
Calvary to the scene of the crucifixion, that they might be en-
couraged to press on toward the mark for the prize and reward
of the overcomer. Victory is assured through faith and
obedience."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Commen-
tary, vol.
7, p. 966.
That glorious group in Revelation 14:12—those who keep the
commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus—are over-
comers!
Constantly we must keep in mind that "Christ's overcoming
and obedience is that of a true human being. . . .
"The obedience of Christ to His Father was the same obedi-
ence that is required of man. Man cannot overcome Satan's
temptations without divine power to combine with his instru-
mentality. So with Jesus Christ; He could lay hold of divine
power. He came not to our world to give the obedience of a
lesser God to a greater, but as a man to obey God's holy law, and
in this way He is our example. The Lord Jesus came to our world,
not to reveal what a God could do, but what a man could do,
through faith in God's power to help in every emergency. Man
is, through faith, to be a partaker in the divine nature, and to
overcome every temptation wherewith he is beset.
"The Lord now demands that every son and daughter of
Adam, through faith in Jesus Christ, serve Him in human nature
which we now have.... Jesus, the world's Redeemer, could only
keep the commandments of God in the same way that humanity
can keep them."—Ellen G. White Comments,
SDA Bible Com-
mentary, vol.
7, p. 929.
THINK IT THROUGH
When Jesus asks us to obey and overcome as He did, does
this make us happy or sad? Is this good news or dreary?
Could any news be more needed? What can bring us more
hope and greater happiness than to believe that we need not
succumb to temptation, that we need not remain sinners! This is
good news for honest, struggling men and women everywhere.
FURTHER STUDY
The Desire of Ages,
pp. 664-668.
110
The Model Waiting to Be Reproduced
LESSON 13
Friday
June 24
Part 6
What is the high calling every genuine Christian responds
CHRIST'S to?
REPRESENTATIVES
"As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also
sent them into the world" (John 17:18).
"As Christ is the channel for the revelation of the Father, so
we are to be the channel for the revelation of Christ. While our
Saviour is the great source of illumination, forget not, 0 Chris-
tian, that He is revealed through humanity. . . . The church of
Christ, every individual disciple of the Master, is heaven's ap-
pointed channel for the revelation of God to men. Angels of
glory wait to communicate through you heaven's light and
power to souls that are ready to perish."—Thoughts
From the
Mount of Blessing,
p. 40.
One of the saddest misunderstandings and the most tragic of
perversities has been for Christians to think that they are reveal-
ing Christ and His truth by merely talking about Him and reciting
His words. God could not have revealed His love and holiness by
writing the message across the clouds; no more can we truly
reveal His love and power by merely proclaiming it from the
pulpit or the printing press.
Ellen White often describes the forces of heaven as "waiting"
for church members to grasp the purpose for their lives and why
Jesus has not returned. (See
The Acts of the Apostles,
p. 111;
and
The Desire of Ages,
p. 297.)
THINK IT THROUGH
What is my first responsibility to God and the test of my
fitness for heaven?
"Consider the life of Christ. Standing at the head of humanity,
serving His Father, He is an example of what every son should
and may be. The obedience that Christ rendered God requires
from human beings
today."—Christ's Object Lessons,
p. 282.
"By implanting in their [Christ's followers'] hearts the princi-
ples of His word, the Holy Spirit develops in men the attributes
of God. The light of His glory—His character—is to shine forth in
His followers."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
p. 414.
"At this time a message from God is to be proclaimed, a
message illuminating in its influence and saving in its power.
His character is to be made known. . . .
.. The children of God are to manifest His glory. In their own
life and character they are to reveal what the grace of God has
done for them."—Christ's
Object Lessons,
pp. 415, 416.
FURTHER STUDY
Christ's Object Lessons,
"To Meet the Bridegroom," pp.
408-414.
111
Lessons for 3rd Quarter/1977
Sabbath School members who have not received a copy of the Adult Lessons for the
third quarter of 1977 will be helped by the following outline in studying the first two
lessons. The title of the series is "God's Chosen People."
First Lesson
A COVENANT PEOPLE. Memory text, Gen. 17:7.
1. By Faith Alone (Gen. 14:6)
2. Grace and Obedience (Ex. 20:2, 3)
3. A Renewed Fellowship (Joshua 24:24-26)
4. Israel and the Nations (Ps. 67:1, 2, 7)
5. Apostasy (Hosea 8:14; 9:1)
6. The Hope of Israel (Jer. 31:32, 33)
Second Lesson
THE TRUE ISRAEL. Memory text, Rom. 9:7, 8.
1.
Jesus and the Jews (John 1:11)
2.
The Church and Israel (Gal. 3:29)
3.
Jesus and the Gentiles (John 3:16)
4.
The Church and the World (Matt. 28:19)
5.
Jesus and the Apostles (Mark 3:14)
6.
The Church Apostolic (Eph. 2:20)
Lessons in arc iIIQ
The regular Adult Sabbath School Lessons are available free each month in Braille
and 16
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Lincoln, Nebraska 68506.
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